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I  I  1    I 

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Estimating  the 
Cost  of  Buildings 


A  Systematic  Treatise  on  Fac- 
tors of  Costs  and  Superintend- 
ence, With  Important  Chapters 
on  Plan  Reading,  Estimating 
the  Cost  of  Building  Alterations, 
and  on  System  in  the  Execution 
of  Building  Contracts 


By  Arthur  W.  Joslin 

'/, 

Building  Estimator  and  Contractor 


= 

3    3 


Illustrated 


I    3 

II  II 

New  York 

David  Williams  Company 

231-241  West  39th  Street 

II      -  '^  1913  |i    -      '    II 

II  11 

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Copyrighted,  1909 
BY  DAVID  WILLIAMS  COMPANY 

Copyrighted,  1913 
BY  DAVID  WILLIAMS  COMPANY 


PREFACE  TO  FIRST  EDITION 

All  of  the  matter  contained  in  this  volume  appeared  in  sub- 
stantially its  present  form  in  Carpentry  and  Building  during 
the  three  years  just  passed.  At  the  time  of  its  writing  I  had 
no  idea  of  its  appearing  in  book  form,  but  the  articles  were 
so  well  received  that  I  have  listened  to  the  publishers  of  Car- 
pent ry  and  Building  [Building  Age],  and  numerous  acquaint- 
ances among  builders  and  architects,  and  have  slightly  revised 
Jlie  various  papers  for  publication  as  a  book  under  the  general 
head  of  "Estimating  the  Cost  of  Buildings."  Unfortunately,  I 
have  been  obliged  to  undertake  this  revision  at  a  time  when  I 
have  been  very  busy  in  the  conduct  of  our  business.  Had  this 
not  been  the  case  I  should  have  liked  to  have  enlarged  upon  a 
number  of  the  subjects  treated,  and  may  do  so  at  some  future 
time. 

This  volume  is  dedicated  to  my  wife,  whose  loving  presence 
in  my  home  has  made  it  possible  for  me  to  find  pleasure  there 
and  the  time  to  undertake  such  matters  as  this. 

Boston,  November  22,  1909.  ARTHUR  W.  JOSLIN. 

PREFACE   TO    SECOND    EDITION 

i 

At  the  time  of  writing  the  first  edition  of  this  book  I  started 
out  with  the  assumption  that  its  circulation  would  be  almost 
wholly  among  those  who  understood  "plan  reading."  It  has 
since  developed  that  there  is  a  demand  for  the  book  in  evening 
classes  in  Industrial,  Trade,  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  similar  schools 
where  the  students  have  little  er  no  knowledge  of  plan  reading 
and  must  of  necessity  acquire  such  knowledge  before  taking  up 
the  study  of  estimating  from  plans.  I  am  therefore  starting  the 
Second  Edition  with  chapters  on  this  subject  and  have  endea- 
vored to  treat  it  in  language  so  simple  that  it  will  be  readily 
understood  by  all.  Suitable  illustrations  accompany  these  chap- 
ters, and  it  is  hoped  by  both  Publishers  and  Author  that  a  much 
more  useful  book  is  being  offered  in  this  edition. 

Boston,  July,  1913.  ARTHUR  W.  JOSLIN. 

3 


CONTENTS 


PART   I 

Reading  Architects'  Drawings 

CHAPTER  I.  PAGE 

Definition  of  a  Plan  and  General  Explanations 7 

CHAPTER  II. 

Analysis  of  the  Foundation  and  Cellar  Plan 12 

CHAPTER  III. 

First,  Second  and  Attic  Floor  Plans 18 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Elevations,  Roofs,  Block  Plans  and  the  Use  of  Colors  on  Drawings.     26 


PART  II 

Masonry,  Iron  Work,  Marble  Work,  Metal  Work 

CHAPTER  V. 

Knowledge  Required*  by  the   Estimator 34 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Method   of   Estimating 37 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Excavation  and  Ground  Work 40 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Foundation   Walls,   Walks,   Grading 44 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Brick  Work   48 

CHAPTER  X. 

Stone    and    Terra    Cotta,    Ornamental    and    Structural,    Concrete 

Floors    55 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Steel  and  Iron  Work 61 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Marble,  Mosaic  and  Terrazzo  Work 64 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Roofing  and  Metal  Work 65 

PART   III 

Carpenter  Work 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

Frame,  Studding  and   Furring 71 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Boarding  and  Measuring  Roof  Surfaces 81 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Shingles,  Clapboards  and  Outside  Finish 90 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Windows,  Doors,  Inside  Finish  and  Floors 99 

5 


6  CONTENTS 

PART    IV 

Miscellaneous  Sub-Contracts 
CHAPTER  XVIII.  PAGE 

Plastering    108 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Painting    110 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Plumbing,  Gas-Piping,  Electric  Work,  Heating 120 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Miscellaneous  Expenses,   Lockers,   Profits,   etc 123 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Example  of  Making  Approximate  Costs 128 


PART  V 
Estimating  the  Cost  of  Building  Alterations 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Razing,  Shoring  and  Temporary  Protection 132 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Masonry,  Iron  and  Steel,  Roof  and  Metal  Work 13G 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Carpenter  Work,  Plastering,  Painting,  Plumbing,  Etc 141 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

An  Interesting  Example  of  Alteration  Work 144 

PART   VI 

System  in  the  Execution  of  Building  Contracts 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Steps  Necessary  to  Start  Building  Operations 149 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Job   Superintendence    157 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Handling  Work  at  a  Distance,  Timekeeping  and  Divided  Costs. ...    163 


PART  1 

Reading  Architects'  Drawings 


CHAPTER   I 

Definition  of  a  Plan  and  General  Explanations 

A  plan  is  a  set  of  ' '  conventional ' '  signs  usually  drawn  to  scale, 
to  illustrate  the  design  of  the  structure  that  is  to  be  built.  A 
properly  drawn  plan,  correctly  read  or  understood,  conveys  a 
perfect  mental  picture  of  the  completed  work. 

Scale  of  Drawings 

The  ratio  of  the  plan  to  the  work  is  as  the  scale  of  the  plan  to 
12  inches.  Thus  on  a  ^-inch  scale  plan  every  part  that  can  be 
measured  is  1/96  of  the  intended  length,  width,  height  or  thick- 
ness, for  there  are  96  one-eighth  inches  in  12  inches.  Likewise 
a  J-inch  scale  plan  shows  everything  reduced  1/48  from  the  in- 
tended size  or  dimension.  A  ^-inch  scale  shows  things  reduced  to 
1/24  actual  size.  A  J-inch  scale  to  1/16  actual  size.  A  IJ-inch 
scale  to  J  actual  size.  A  3-inch  scale  to  J  actual  size.  A  6-inch 
scale  to  4  actual  size.  Drawings  made  the  actual  size  of  the  parts 
are  termed  *  *  full  size  details. ' '  Drawings  made  to  J-inch  scale  or 
larger,  up  to  but  not  including  full  size,  are  termed  "scale  de- 
tails." 

Most  building  plans  are  drawn  J-inch  or  |-inch  scale.  This 
means  that  each  J-inch  or  ^-inch,  as  the  case  may  be,  on  the  plan, 
represents  one  foot  in  the  structure.  Therefore  a  floor  plan  that 
measured  10  in.  on  one  of  its  sides,  if  drawn  to  the  scale  of  J-inch, 
would  mean  40  ft.  in  the  actual  building,  as  there  are  40  one- 
quarter  inches  in  10  inches. 

If  the  plan  was  drawn  to  the  scale  of  |-inch  and  measured  10 
in.  on  one  of  its  sides,  it  would  mean  80  ft.  in  the  actual  building, 
as  there  are  80  one-eighth  inches  in  10  inches. 

7 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


Full  Size  Drawings 

Details  drawn  to  large  scale  or  full  size  are  made  to  show  es- 
sential particulars  that  it  is  impossible  to  show  on  J-inch  or 
J-inch  scale  plans.  On  all  drawings  where  figures  are  supplied 
they  are  given  in  numerals  followed  by  the  customary  signs  for 
feet  and  inches;  thus  a  dash  to  the  right  of  and  just  above  the 
figure  signifies  feet,  two  dashes  similarly  placed  signifies  inches ; 
six  feet  and  nine  inches  would  be  written  on  a  plan  as  follows  6'-9", 
or  twenty-one  feet  and  three- f ourths .  of  an  inch,  thus  23/-0}". 
The  different  plans  usually  furnished  for  a  building  are  floor 
plans,  elevations,  sections  and  more  or  less  scale  details.  Base- 
ment and  cellar  plans  come  under  the  head  of  floor  plans. 

Elevations  are  plans  of  the  sides  of  buildings,  and  they  show 
doors,  windows,  pitch  of  roofs,  etc.,  which  can  not  be  fully  shown 
or  made  clear  on  a  floor  plan.  Thus,  a  floor  plan  can,  by  the  con- 
ventional sign,  show  the  location  of  a  window  in  a  wall,  but  it 
can  not  show  its  height,  width  of  casings,  thickness  of  stool, 
whether  having  backhand  molding  or  not,  manner  of  cutting  up 
sash  into  lights  of  glass,  etc.  All  of  these  things  must  be  deter- 
mined from  the  elevations,  and  in  particular  work  these  J-inch 
or  J-inch  scale  elevations  are  further  supplemented  by  large  scale 
or  full  size  elevations  and  sections. 

A  sectional  drawing  is  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  construction  of  a 
building,  or  part  of  same,  showing 
of  what  members  or  parts  the  build- 
ing, or  part  of  same,  are  made  up. 

" Cross  hatching"  is  a  series  of 
diagonal  lines  filling  in  the  entire 
space  between  two  or  more  lines 
defining  the  outline  of  any  member 
or  part  of  the  building  cut  through 
and  brought  into  view  by  a  sec- 
tional drawing.  Where  members 
abut  each  other,  the  direction  of 

*— — •»  the  cross  hatching  lines  is  changed 

to  more  clearly  define  or  emphasize 
each  separate  part.    Portions  of  a 


FIG.  1 — PART  OF  CELLAR  PLAN 
SHOWING  CHIMNEY,  ETC. 


DEFINITION  OF  A  PLAN  AND  EXPLANATIONS  9 

building  brought  into  view  by  a  sectional  drawing,  but  not  cut 
through,  are  elevations.  Thus  a  drawing  taken  on  an  imaginary 
line  through  a  building  would  be  in  part  a  sectional,  and  in  part 
an  interior  elevation,  drawing. 

Public  improvements  sometimes  require  the  literal  cutting  in 
two  of  a  building  and  the  destruction  of  one  part.  The  part  left 
standing,  showing  the  ends  of  joists,  walls,  partitions,  etc.,  and 
the  walls  of  various  rooms  with  doors,  base,  trim,  mantels,  etc., 
all  in  plain  view,  is  a  living  example  of  a  sectional  drawing. 

All  parts  actually  cut  through  would  be  * '  cross  hatched "  on  a 
sectional  drawing. 

A  cellar,  basement  or  floor  plan  is  the  view  of  a  building  if  it 
were  sawed  in  two  horizontally  somewhere  about  half  way  be- 
tween the  floor  and  the  ceiling,  and  the  upper  part  removed. 

Parts  Represented  by  Dotted  Lines 

Objects  above  the  imaginary  line  upon  which  the  plan  is  made, 
or  below  the  floor,  have  their  outline  or  form  shown  by  dotted 
lines. 

There  are  cases  where  parts  shown  dotted  mean  something  else, 
and  this  will  be  explained  later. 

Plans  are  usually  accompanied  by  specifications,  which  in 
great  measure  describe  at  length  the  kind  and  quality  of  the 
materials  to  be  used  in  carrying  out  the  work,  and  the  methods 
and  order  of  performing  it. 

Assuming  that  the  reader  -knows  very  little  about  plans,  the 
first  thing  he  should  do  is  to  read  the  specifications  carefully. 
This  will  help  him  to  determine  the  meaning  of  some  of  the 
lines  or  signs  on  the  plan. 

To  illustrate  the  point  made  above  Fig.  1  is  a  part  of  a  cellar 
plan  showing  a  chimney,  piers  built  in  connection  therewith,  and 
the  heater  and  smoke-pipe. 

You  probably  found  in  reading  the  specifications  that  all  walls, 
piers,  chimneys,  etc.,  were  to  have  footings.  Now,  as  footings 
are  below  the  cellar  floor  and  cannot  be  seen  on  the  plan,  and  as 
you  probably  know  without  being  told  that  they  extend  beyond 
the  parts  over  them,  you  at  once  identify  the  irregular  dotted 
line  "A"  as  the  outline  of  the  footing  for  the  chimney  and  the 


io  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

two  piers  built  in  conjunction  therewith.  If  you  know  so 
little  about  a  plan  as  to  be  in  doubt  as  to  how  a  chimney  is 
shown,  the  fact  that  the  inner  rectangle  is  marked  "Ash  Pit" 
ought  to  help  to  identify  the  pair  of  parallel  lines  inclosing  it 
as  a  chimney,  shown  in  plan. 

Details  of  Chimney 

Having  made  up  your  mind  it  probably  is  a  chimney  that  is 
shown,  the  parallel  lines,  which  will  be  found  by  using  a  scale 
rule,  are  4"  apart,  it  is  at  once  determined  that  it  is  the  brick  wall 
which  makes  the  chimney.  It  is  recognized  that  an  ash  pit  must 
have  walls  of  some  kind  around  it ;  that  presumably  they  would 
be  brick  and  being  brick  they  would  be  4"  thick.  Now  observe 
the  smaller  rectangle  inclosed  in  double  lines  (B)  about  one  inch 
apart  by  scale  and  above  the  ash  pit  as  you  look  at  the  plan.  It 
is  known  that  a  chimney  has  a  flue  or  flues,  and  you  should 
readily  identify  this  as  a  flue  having  a  flue  lining.  The  double 
lines,  one  inch  apart  by  scale,  with  the  four  inch  wall  around  it, 
should  convince  you  beyond  a  doubt  that  it  is  a  chimney  that  is 
shown.  If  further  evidence  is  necessary  there  is  the  circle 
marked  "Heater,"  and  the  dotted  lines  from  heater  to  flue, 
meaning  of  course  the  smoke  pipe  leading  as  they  do  from  the 
heater  to  the  flue.  The  figures  within  the  flue  "8/12"  signify 
that  it  is  an  8"  x  12"  flue,  which  you  know  to  be  one  of  the  sizes 
in  general  use. 

The  method  of  noting  size  on  the  plan  (8/12)  is  a  sort  of  short 
hand,  as  there  is  not  room  to  write  out  the  size  in  full  with  "inch 
signs"  added  to  numerals  (8"  x  12"). 

The  extensions  on  the  two  corners  of  the  chimney,  marked 
"C,"  are  piers  built  up  with  and  bonded  to  it. 

The  cleanout  door  for  the  ash  pit  is  indicated  by  a  line  on  the 
outside  wall  of  the  chimney.  It  is  marked  "Door,"  is  15  in.  in 
length  by  scale,  and  its  size  is  probably  given  in  the  specifica- 
tions. 

The  asterisk  at  D,  denotes  a  gas  or  electric1  light  outlet  and 
fixture;  the  method  of  lighting  is  determined  in  the  specifica- 
tions. 

This  covers  everything  shown  in  Fig.  1,  and  by  using  a  scale 


DEFINITION  OF  A  PLAN  AND  EXPLANATIONS  11 

on  the  drawing  the  size  of  the  chimney,  piers,  heater,  etc.,  is 
found,  and  the  work  can  be  laid  out  accordingly. 

Use  of  a  Carpenter's  Rule 

If,  using  a  carpenter's  rule,  each  one- fourth  (%")  of  an  inch 
means  one  foot  (l'-0")  in  the  actual  work,  it  naturally  follows 
that  one-sixteenth  of  an  inch  represents  three  inches ;  one-eighth 
of  an  inch  six  inches,  and  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  nine  inches 
in  actual  work.  Such  dimensions  as  1",  2",  4",  5",  7",  8",  10", 
11"  are  determined  by  "eye"  when  using  the  carpenter's  rule. 
If  a  scale  rule  is  used  there  are  graduations  reading  to  each  inch. 

Having  thoroughly  analyzed  the  small  portion  of  a  plan  shown 
in  Fig.  1,  we  will  now  analyze  a  complete  set  of  plans  for  a  small 
dwelling.  The  set  of  plans  are  shown  in  the  following  diagrams, 
of  which 

Fig.  2  is  Foundation  and  Cellar  Plan. 

Fig.  3  Section  of  Foundation  Wall. 

Fig.  4  Elevation  of  Pipe  Column. 

Fig.  5  is  the  First  Floor  Plan. 

Fig.  6  is  the  Second  Floor  Plan. 

Fig.  7  the  Attic  Floor  Plan. 

Fig.  8  the  Front  Elevation. 

Fig.  9  the  Rear. 

Fig.  10  the  Side  (Left)  Elevation,  and 

Fig.  11  the  Side  (Right)  Elevation. 

All  of  these  drawings  are  made  to  scale  of  J"  to  1'.  Each  draw- 
ing is  supplemented  by  numerous  notes  and  figures,  also  by  de- 
tached sections  and  elevations  from  J"  to  f "  scale. 


CHAPTER  il 

Analysis  of  the  Foundation  and  Cellar  Plan 

Probably  the  first  thing  observed  upon  looking  at  the  cellar 
plan,  Fig.  2,  is  that  two  parallel  lines  form  a  somewhat  irregular 
rectangle.  The  outer  line  represents  the  outside  of  the  founda- 


34 '-O- 


1 '  -.T  rrfc  =il  *  m  j»-*.-K_-».-u-t.-_-t_-.->  | 

6-6'y3~~"    ^-FUTURE  PARTITION    DOOR-^ 


r>  > 


FIG.    2  —  PLAN    OF  FOUNDATION  AND  CELLAR  —  SCALE         IN-  To  THE  FOOT 


tion  upon  which  the  house  is  to  be  erected.  The  inner  line,  which 
is  figured  in  several  places  as  being  16"  from  the  outer  line  (see 
A-B),  represents  the  inside  line  of  foundation.  The  figures  16" 
between  these  lines  at  several  places  call  attention  to  the  fact  that 
the  foundation  wall  is  16"  thick. 

Notice  that  wherever  this  dimension  is  put  on  the  plan  between 
lines  representing  the  outside  and  inside  lines  of  the  foundation, 
there  are  small  arrows,  thus:  -*  16"  -e-  These  arrow  points  are 
called  "witness  marks,"  and  they  convey  the  information  that 

12 


ANALYSIS  OF  FOUNDATION  AND  CELLAR  PLAN  13 

the  16"  is  from  one  of  these  marks  to  the  other.  Ordinarily  the 
shaft  of  the  arrow  would  be  towards  the  figures,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  dimension  34'-0"  at  the  top  of  the  plan  "C,"  which,  by  the 
location  of  the  witness  marks  at  the  right  and  left  of  it,  shows 
that  these  figures  represent  the  length  of  the  building  on  that 
side. 

The  reason  for  reversing  the  arrows  in  the  case  of  the  16"  di- 
mension is  that  the  two  parallel  lines  are  so  near  together  that 
there  is  not  room  to  continue  the  shaft  lines  towards  each  other 
and  leave  room  for  the  figures.  The  usual  custom  in  regard  to  the 
"extended  arrows,"  or  dimension  lines,  put  on  plans  is  to  make 
them  of  red  or  diluted  black  ink,  so  that  when  the  blue  print  is 
made  they  come  out  as  a  faint  line.  While  faint  they  are  easily 
distinguishable,  but  not  heavy  enough  to  be  confused  with  the 
full  prominent  lines  of  the  plan. 

The  witness  marks  or  arrow  heads  are  put  on  drawings  in  black 
ink  so  that  when  blue-printed  they  will  stand  out  prominently 
and  call  particular  attention  to  the  points  between  which  the 
dimension  is  taken.  In  laying  out  work  from  a  plan  figures 
should  always  be  followed  in  preference  to  dimensions  obtained 
by  scaling  the  plan.  In  using  the  figures  particular  care  should 
be  taken  to  note  to  which  lines  or  points  the  witness  marks  refer. 

Where  'intermediate  measurements,  as  well  as  over  all,  are 
given,  as  in  the  dimension  next  below  the  34'-0"  referred  to,  the 
said  intermediate  figures  should  be  checked  to  see  that  their  total 
agrees  with  the  "over  all"  figure.  Thus  the  figures  (on  the  line 
of  figures  under  34' -0")  ll'-O"  from  outside  of  wall  to  center  of 
mullion  window,  16'-6"  from  center  of  mullion  window  to  center 
of  single  window,  and  6'-6"  from  center  of  single  window  to  out- 
side wall  are  found  to  total  34'-0". 

Go  down  further  on  the  plan  to  the  line  of  figures  D,  and  we 
find  the  figures  19'-0",  witnessed  from  outside  of  wall  to  a  line 
continued  from  the  center  of  a  column,  followed  by  the  figures 
15'-0",  witnessed  from  center  of  column  to  outside  of  the  opposite 
wall.  We  find  that  the  dimensions  19'-0"  and  15'-0"  added  also 
give  us  34'-0".  As  the  outermost  witness  marks  in  the  case  of  the 
last  two  of  these  lines  of  dimensions  are  from  the  same  lines  on 
the  plan  as  those  of  the  line  C,  each  should  total  34'-0",  as  in  C. 


14 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


Failure  to  do  so  is  evidence  that  there  is  an  error  somewhere  in 
the  figuring.  By  comparing  plans  over  and  under  the  one  in 
question,  checking  their  figures,  and  by  using  the  scale  rule  where 
figures  are  manifestly  incorrect,  a  correction  can  usually  be  made 
by  the  person  attempting  to  lay  out  the  work  from  the  plans. 
Failing  to  discover  the  error  by  the  above  method  the  matter 
should  be  referred  to  the  archi- 
tect or  his  representative  who 
will  determine  the  corrections  to 
be  made.. 

To  study  the  outside  wall 
further  we  have  recourse  to  the 
section  of  the  foundation  wall 
shown  in  Fig.  3.  We  will  as- 
sume that  the  specifications  call 
for  footings.  To  make  the  plan 
Fig.  2  correct,  the  footing  lines 
should  show  as  at  E,  but  as  the 
addition  of  unnecessary  lines 
makes  the  plan  complicated,  and 
it  is  made  plain  in  other  places 
that  footings  are  required,  the 
plan  is  just  as  clear  as  though 
they  were  shown. 


FIG.   3 — SECTION  OF  FOUNDATION 


WALL — SCALE 


IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 


Now  look  at  Fig.  3,  which  is 

a  section  through  the  foundation  wall.  The  thickness  of  wall  at 
the  top  and  bottom,  respectively  16"  and  2'-0",  is  shown  here ; 
also  the  depth  of  the  cellar  from  under  side  of  first  floor  con- 
struction when  plastered  to  the  top  of  concrete  (7'-6")  ;  the 
shape  and  location  of  footing;  size  of  the  sill  and  its  location 
on  the  wall ;  and  several  other  points  of  construction.  You  have 
probably  noticed  that  the  vertical  lines  representing  the  wall 
are  not  continuous  as  at  A.  The  lines  are  "broken,"  as  it  is 
called  to  compress  the  drawing  into  a  smaller  space.  If  you 
scale  the  distance  figured  7'-6"  you  will  find  that  it  falls  short  of 
this  figure.  The  height  of  wall  as  shown  in  this  section 
being  broken  twice,  once  above  and  once  below  the  line  B, 
which  denotes  the  outside  grade,  establishes  the  fact  that  the 
amount  of  Avail  above  and  below  the  grade  is  variable,  as  is 


ANALYSIS  OF  FOUNDATION  AND  CELLAR  PLAN  15 

noted  on  the  drawing.  In  order  to  determine  the  relation  of 
the  grade  to  the  top  of  the  wall,  reference  must  be  made  to  the 
elevations. 

Also  notice  that  this  section  shows  a  4"  x  6"  sill  laid  flatways  on 
the  wall  and  far  enough  from  the  outer  edge  of  the  wall,  so  that 
when  it  is  studded  up  above  the  sill  and  outside  boards  put  on, 
the  outside  line  of  boarding  is  flush  with  the  outside  of  the  foun- 
dation. 

Now  to  refer  back  to  Fig.  2  in  the  lower  right-hand  corner,  we 
find  the  note,  "  All  measurements  are  Outside  of  Frame."  If  you 
look  carefully  at  the  dimension  lines  you  will  see  that  lines  ex- 
tending from  the  corners  to  which  dimensions  are  figured,  are 
by  scale,  about  1"  short  of  the  full  line  representing  the  outside 
line  of  the  foundation  (see  F). 

A  glance  at  Fig.  2  shows  that  the  floor  joist  C  is  sized  onto  the 
sill  about  1",  that  there  is  an  under  and  upper  floor,  denoted  by 
the  two  lines  drawn  parallel  to  the  line  representing  the  upper 
edge  of  the  joists;  and  that  the  ceiling  of  the  cellar  is  sheathed 
or  plastered,  as  denoted  by  the  line  below  and  parallel  with  the 
line  representing  the  bottom  edge  of  the  joist.  The  specifications 
probably  confirm  the  matter  of  the  two  floors  and  state  whether 
ceiling  is  sheathed  or  plastered.  The  plans  have  frequently  to  be 
considered  with  each  other  and  with  the  specifications,  and  then 
coupled  with  some  little  knowledge  of  construction,  in  order  to 
have  them  convey  to  the  person  attempting  to  read  them  what  the 
arohitect  intends  to  have  built. 

In  the  upper  right-hand  corner  of  Fig.  2,  and  within  the  pair 
of  parallel  lines  representing  the  foundations,  are  two  divisions 
plainly  marked  "Range  and  Heater  Coal."  The  lines  which 
bound  and  form  the  partitions  are  about  1"  apart  by  scale,  in- 
dicating that  the  partition  G  would  be  composed  of  1"  or  $•" 
boards,  which  should  be  nailed  to  the  studs  H,  about  30"  apart  by 
scale.  The  door  is  at  J,  partly  open  to  show  the  swing,  and  be- 
hind the  door  is  the  * '  Hopper. ' ' 

In  the  lower  right-hand  corner  of  Fig.  2  is  another  compart- 
ment, marked  "Cold  Closet,"  shown  by  lines  similar  to  those 
denoting  the  coal  bin,  except  that  there  are  two  parallel  lines  on 
each  side  of  the  studs,  This,  of  course,  means  that  the  cold  closet 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


partition  is  boarded  on  each  side  of  the  studs,  and  an  examination 
of  the  door  K  shows  that  this  is  of  double  construction  also.  The 
lines  inside  of  the  cold  room  are  to  represent  shelves,  and  as  a 
plan  could  not  show  how  many  and  there  is  no  section  given,  the 
note  "3  Sh's"  (3  shelves)  is  added.  Possibly  the  specifications 
would  mention  this,  but  whether  they  did  or  not,  the  note  settles 
the  question  of  how  many  shelves,  and  the  drawing  shows  the 
width. 

In  the  upper  left-hand  corner  is  the  note  "Laundry  Space," 
and  parallel  dotted  lines  en- 
close it.     This  is  one  of  the     ,          

cases  referred  to  where  dotted 
lines  may  mean  something 
else  besides  things  under  the 
floor  or  above  the  imaginary 
line  upon  which  the  plan  is 
supposed  to  be  taken.  In  this 
case  the  information  is  given 
in  the  note  "Future  Parti- 
tion." 

Notice  the  tubs  under  the 
windows  and  the  platform 
upon  which  they  set,  also  the 
water  closet  (W.  C.),  which 
is  also  shown  on  a  platform, 
although  it  is  not  noted. 

Study  the  plan  carefully  at  this  point  and  you  will  see  that  a 
platform  is  shown  here  as  well  as  at  the  tubs  where  the  fact  is 
noted. 

Fig.  4  is  a  typical  column  like  those  on  the  cellar  plan  Fig.  2 
near  W.  C.,  and  foot  of  stairs.  The  detail  illustrates  a  side  eleva- 
tion of  floor  joist  A ;  section  of  girder  B ;  elevation  of  column  C  ; 
section  of  concrete  floor  D ;  elevation  of  small  block  of  cast  con- 
crete usually  sold  with  columns  E,  and  a  section  of  the  footing 
under  the  column  F.  For  convenience  in  drawing,  this  column  is 
shown  "broken,"  but  the  figures  give  the  correct  dimension  be- 
tween floor  and  ceiling,  and  agree  with  the  section  shown  in 
Fig.  3, 


1 

C- 

a 

»» 

<j> 

> 

i 

i 

SD 

t 

^ti$&&&£m 

FIG.  4 — ELEVATION  OF  PIPE  COLUMN- 
SCALE        IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 


ANALYSIS  OF  FOUNDATION  AND  CELLAR  PLAN  17 

Outside  of  the  lines  representing  the  foundation  on  Fig.  2,  to 
the  right  and  left  at  the  top,  are  the  piers  supporting  the  front 
and  rear  porches.  The  size  of  the  piers  is  figured  as  well  as 
drawn  to  scale,  and  the  footings  in  all  cases  are  shown  dotted. 

We  have  now  examined  in  detail  nearly  everything  shown  on 
this  cellar  plan  except  the  stairs  indicated  at  M,  which  start 
straight  with  two  steps,  take  a  right  angle  turn  with  "winders" 
and  continue  up  to  the  first  floor.  See  bent  arrow  marked  "up.'' 
The  stairs  are  shown  in  full  lines  about  halfway  up,  when  they 
change  to  dotted  lines.  The  upper  part  of  these  stairs  can  be 
seen  on  the  First  Floor  Plan,  where  the  arrow  is  noted  "Down." 

The  height  of  the  foundation  out  of  the  ground,  the  style  of 
the  cellar  windows  and  other  similar  particulars  are  obtained  by 
referring  to  the  elevations  which  show  all  four  sides  of  the 
building. 


CHAPTER   III 
First,  Second  and  Attic  Floor  Plans 

In  Fig.  55  we  see  a  pair  of  parallel  lines  which  except  for  the 
front  porch,  rear  porch  and  bay  window  (B.  C.  D.)  conform  to 


rn -4V- 1    - 

h'-'or 'o'-4' -T 6-8'- 


FIG.  5 — FIRST  FLOOR  PLAN — SCALE  ^12  IN-  TO  THE  FOOT 

the  same  outline  as  the  foundation  and  cellar  plan  shown  in  Fig, 
2.  Notice,  however,  that  the  two  parallel  lines  are  much  nearer 
together  than  on  the  foundation  plan.  If  you  try  a  scale  rule  on 

18 


FIRST,  SECOND  AND  ATTIC  FLOOR  PLANS  19 

these  lines  you  will  find  that  they  scale  6  in.  apart.  In  an  or- 
dinary frame  house  or  other  structure  the  outside  is  assumed  to 
be  6  in.  through.  This  thickness  is  made  up  as  follows :  Studding, 
4  in. ;  outside  boards,  1  in. ;  plastering,  1  in. ;  total,  6  in.  To  be 
accurate  the  studding  is  3J  in.,  the  outside  boards  £  in.,  the  plas- 
tering J  in.  The  shingles,  clapboards  or  other  outside  wall  cover- 
ing and  the  base  inside  are  not  taken  into  account  in  making  -£ 
in.  or  smaller  scale  drawings.  The  draughtsman  assumes  that 
you  know  of  the  existence  of  these  parts  and  that  you  will  look 
to  the  elevations,  large  scale  and  full-size  details  and  the  speci- 
fications, for  more  particulars  in  regard  to  them.  All  interior 
partitions  that  are  built  of  4-in.  studs  are  also  assumed  to  be  6 
in.  and  are  so  drawn.  Partitions  shown  a  little  less  than  6  in. 
by  scale  are  of  2  in.  x  3  in.  studding,  and  if  shown  even  thinner 
than  those  implying  3-in.  studding,  they  may  be  assumed  to  be 
built  of  2  x  3  or  2  x  4  set  flatways. 

Partitions  marked  E  on  the  plan  Fig.  5  are  of  3-in.  studding ; 
those  marked  F  are  of  studs  set  the  2  in.  way.  The  partition 
which  divides  the  dining  room  from  the  living  room  and  is  figured 
10  in.  is  for  a  large  single  sliding  door.  When  the  door  is 
opened,  it  slides  into  a  pocket,  about  3  in.  wide,  made  by  the  two 
partitions  G. 

Windows  in  general,  on  small  scale  drawings  for  frame  build- 
ings, are  shown  by  two  parallel  lines  between  the  lines  represent- 
ing the  outside  wall,  the  length  of  these  lines  being  the  scale 
width  of  the  sash.  A  typical  window  is  shown  at  H.  Where 
windows  are  grouped  they  are  shown  as  at  J,  representing  a  mul- 
lion  window,  and  at  K,  representing  a  triple  window.  These  same 
parallel  lines  between  partition  lines  would  represent  a  sash  in 
a  partition.  To  find  the  style,  height,  etc.,  of  these  windows 
shown  in  the  outside  wall,  the  elevations  must  be  referred  to. 

Doors  are  shown  by  an  opening  in  the  parallel  lines  represent- 
ing a  wall  or  partition  as  at  L.  From  these  openings  there  are 
lines  at  an  angle  with  a  segment  of  a  circle  faintly  shown.  The 
line  at  an  angle  represents  the  door  and  the  faint  line  shows 
which  way  it  swings.  Notice  that  each  door  is  figured  for  size. 
Wood,. style  and  thickness  or  any  other  particulars  must  be  ob- 
tained from  other  drawings  and  the  specifications. 


20  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

The  door  marked  M  represents  a  double  swing  door.  Notice 
that  the  angular  line  is  dotted,  shows  both  sides  of  the  partition, 
and  that  the  segment  of  circle,  showing  swing  of  door,  continues 
each  way  from  the  partition.  At  the  outside  doors  (from  re- 
ception hall  to  porch,  and  back  hall  to  rear  porch)  you  see  a  line 
about  2  in.  by  scale  from  the  outer  line  of  the  two  denoting  the 
outside  wall  and  running  5  in.  or  6  in.  by  scale  beyond  the  open- 
ing shown  for  the  door.  This  shows  the  threshold  and  also  implies 
a  riser  or  difference  in  height  between  the  levels  of  the  floor  in  the 
building  and  on  the  porch.  If  you  will  step  outside  of  your  own 
front  door  and  look  at  the  threshold  of  it,  I  think  you  will  see  at 
once  the  conditions  just  explained  and  the  logic  of  the  method  of 
showing  them  on  the  drawing. 

The  kitchen,  back  hall,  pantry  and  china  closet  have  shelving 
and  equipment  of  various  kinds. 

Next  examine  the  stairs  going  up  from  the  reception  hall.  The 
first  riser  N  is  carried  around  at  right  angles  until  it  stops  against 
the  partition  that  follows  down  under  the  second  run  of  stairs  X, 
the  corner  being  a  quarter  circle.  This  is  called  a  block  step. 
The  newel  0  starts  on  this  block  step,  the  next  riser  (2)  is  also  a 
block  step,  and  ends  in  a  small  quarter  circle  against  the  newel. 
Next  are  the  risers  Nos.  3,  4,  5,  6,  a  platform,  a  right  angle  turn 
and  risers  7,  8,  9,  where  the  stairs  have  reached  a  height  somewhat 
above  halfway  to  the  second  floor,  and  a  closet  is  put  in  under 
them. 

The  balance  of  these  stairs  will  be  seen  at  A  on  the  second  floor 
plan,  Fig.  6,  where  the  riser  numbers  are  picked  up  at  No.  9,  and 
continued  to  No.  15.  Notice  that  the  arrow  at  the  start  of  these 
stairs  on  Fig.  5  says  ''Up  15  R."  Now  look  at  the  stairs  going 
up  out  of  the  kitchen  where  arrow  says  "Up  14  R."  Here  we 
find  five  risers  up  to  the  level  of  the  platform  of  the  front  stairs. 
There  is  a  door  from  the  kitchen  to  these  stairs,  also  a  door  at  the 
top,  on  the  platform,  to  cut  them  off  from  the  kitchen  and  the 
front  stairs.  This  part  flight  to  the  platform  is  called  a  "box 
flight/'  as  it  is  between  two  walls;  consequently  it  does  not  re- 
quire posts,  rails  and  balusters,  but  has  a  wall  rail  on  the  right  as 
you  go  up,  shown  by  the  parallel  lines  close  together.  The  lines 
representing  the  rail  turn  with  a  quarter  circle  at  right  angles 


FIRST,  SECOND  AND  ATTIC  FLOOR  PLANS  21 

into  the  partition,  which  denotes  that  the  rail  turns  into  the  wall 
at  each  end,  and  is  fastened  there  to  the  partition. 

As  we  have  six  risers  from  the  reception  hall,  and  five  risers 
from  the  kitchen,  the  fact  is  established  that  the  height  of  each 
riser  in  the  box  flight  from  the  kitchen  is  increased  enough  to 


FIG.  6  —  SECOND  FLOOR  PLAN  —  SCALE 


-  TO  THE  FOOT 


cover  the  distance  from  the  first  floor  to  the  platform.  An  ar- 
rangement of  stairs  like  this  is  called  a  "combination  stair." 
Besides  the  box  flight  from  kitchen  to  the  platform,  there  is  the 
flight  of  stairs  leading  to  the  cellar  (A).  Here  the  arrow  says 
"Down."  This  is  between  partitions  and  is  a  box  flight  at  the 
start,  but  as  you  go  down  into  the  cellar  it  becomes  an  open  flight. 


22  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

The  partition  between  these  stairs  and  the  front  stairs  at  P,  would 
have  to  stop  even  with  the  under  side  of  the  stringer  of  the  upper 
run  of  the  front  stairs  (risers  7,  8,  9,  etc.)  in  order  to  make  "head 
room"  for  the  cellar  flight,  At  the  point  where  this  partition 
occurs  we  have  gone  up  7  risers  and  down  5  risers  from  the  first 
floor.  As  the  average  riser  is  about  8  in.  high  we  have  in  the  12 
risers  about  96  in.  or  8  ft.  Out  of  this  must  come  the  depth  of 
the  stringer  under  risers  7,  8,  9,  etc.  As  this  would  be  only  5  in. 
or  6  in.  you  readily  see  that  there  is  ample  head  room  for  the 
cellar  flight.  There  is  no  way  that  this  stopping  of  the  partition 
under  the  upper  run  can  be  shown  on  the  floor  plans,  but  when 
the  arrangement  of  stairs  is  studied  the  fact  must  be  evident. 

The  chimney  in  the  corner  of  the  living  room  is  clearly  in- 
dicated. The  8-in.  x  12-in.  flue  shown  on  the  cellar  plan  Fig.  2 
is  in  evidence.  As  the  corner  of  the  chimney  having  this  flue 
comes  into  the  kitchen  the  inference  may  be  drawn  that  this  flue 
also  serves  for  the  kitchen  range,  which  is  shown  in  the  corner  of 
the  kitchen  Q.  The  kitchen  boiler  marked  B  is  in  a  niche  back 
of  the  range. 

Notice  that  the  part  of  the  chimney  showing  in  the  kitchen 
and  boiler  niche  has  no  line  enclosing  it  as  in  the  dining  room  at 
F.  This  shows  that  this  much  of  the  chimney  is  exposed  and 
requires  the  brickwork  to  be  laid  up  neatly  and  possibly  of  better 
brick  than  the  rest  of  the  chimney.  This  is  one  of  the  points 
that  is  undoubtedly  settled  by  the  specifications. 

The  Bookcases  and  Fireplace 

The  fireplace  is  fully  shown  and  carefully  figured  even  to  the 
face  brick  lining,  hearth,  dump  to  ash  pit  under,  etc.  Notes  on 
the  plan  at  this  point  show  that  a  seat  and  bookcases  are  worked 
in  around  the  chimney  corner.  The  large  scale  or  full-size  draw- 
ings do  not  come  as  a  rule  until  after  a  contract  with  the  builders 
is  made  and  it  is  about  time  to  build  in  the  special  parts;  in  con- 
sequence the  estimator  has  to  determine  the  requirements  from 
the  small  scale  drawings,  the  specifications  and  his  experience 
with  work  in  general  and  his  consultations  with  the  architect. 

A  study  of  the  porches  B  and  C  shown  in  plan  Fig.  5,  and 


FIRST,  SECOND  AND  ATTIC  FLOOR  PLANS  23 

reference  to  the  elevation  will  show  which  of  the  various  lines 
represent  steps,  posts,  rails,  etc.  Large  scale  details  are  shown 
of  the  front  porch  and  living  room  bay,  and  these  will  be  taken 
up  later  and  references  made  to  the  first  floor  plan. 

The  Second  Floor  Plan 

We  will  now  study  the  second  floor  plan,  Fig.  6,  but  at  much 
less  length  than  was  devoted  to  the  first  floor  plan.  Here  we  see 
the  same  outline  as  the  first  floor,  except  the  front  of  the  building, 
where  the  dotted  lines  B  show  the  outline  of  the  first  floor.  As 
the  parallel  lines  representing  the  front  wall  of  the  building 
show,  the  second  floor  overhangs  to  the  face  of  the  two  projections 
on  the  front  wall  of  the  first  floor,  and  the  part  of  the  second 
story  front  wall  over  the  porch  has  a  still  further  overhang  or 
projection  in  the  form  of  a  square  bay  C.  Everything  in  regard 
to  partitions,  doors  and  windows  explained  in  connection  with 
the  first-floor  plan  applies  to  the  second  floor. 

In  the  bath  rooms  a  bowl,  bath  tub  and  water  closet  are 
shown.  As  each  of  these  fixtures  is  noted,  you  cannot  help 
locating  them  on  this  plan.  The  conventional  methods  of  show- 
ing these  fixtures  never  varies  much  from  the  way  they  are 
shown  here,  and,  even  if  the  fixtures  were  not  noted,  no  difficulty 
should  be  experienced  in  identifying  them. 

The  Chimney 

Notice  the  chimney  D.  Here  we  have  a  plain  rectangular- 
shaped  affair  with  two  8  x  12  flues.  If  you  look  at  the  drawing 
carefully  you  will  see  that  the  two  flues  are  side  by  side,  having 
no  brick  withe  (partition)  between  them.  The  flue  No.  1  is  the 
same  one  shown  in  the  plan  of  the  chimney  on  both  the  founda- 
tion and  first-floor  plans.  The  other  flue,  No.  2,  is  for  the  fire- 
place. As  this  starts  midway  between  the  first  and  second  floors, 
drawing  the  flue  on  the  first  floor  over  all  the  lines  showing  the 
fireplace  would  only  serve  to  complicate  the  first-floor  plan,  and 
no  attempt  is  made  to  show  it  there. 

The  part  of  the  plan  marked  E  is  the  front  porch  roof.  The 
roof  and  gutter  lines  are  shown,  and  the  fact  that  it  is  a  shingle 
roof  is  noted.  The  dotted  line  shows  the  outline  of  the  frieze  of 


24 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


the  porch  cornice.  The  distance  from  the  dotted  line  to  the  outer 
edge  of  the  gutter  is  the  overhang  of  the  cornice  (F). 

While  discussing  the  foundation  and  cellar  plan  attention  was 
called  to  the  fact  that  all  dimensions  were  to  "the  outside  of 
frame."  This  note  applies  throughout  all  the  plans.  Take  the 
dimension  34  ft.  referred  to  on  the  foundation  plan ;  compare  the 
same  side  of  the  first  and  second-floor  plans  and  you  will  see  that 
it  is  the  same  on  both.  You  will  also  see  that  the  11-ft.  dimension 
at  the  left,  and  6-ft.  6-in.  dimension  at  the  right,  which  are  to  the 
center  of  the  windows,  or  mull  ion  windows,  also  applies  to  all 
three  plans.  An  examination  of  the  elevations  of  this  side  of  the 


FIG.  7 — ATTIC  PLAN — SCALE  1/12  IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 

house  will  show  by  the  lines  drawn  over  the  plan,  running 
through  the  center  of  the  windows,  and  groups  of  windows,  that 
they  center  over  each  other  and  at  the  same  figured  distance  from 
the  corners  of  the  building  called  for  by  the  floor  plans. 

The  sides  A  and  B,  in  the  attic  floor  plan,  Fig.  7,  are  the  gable 
and  sides  indicated  in  the  elevations  in  Figs.  10  and  11.    Notice 


FIRST,  SECOND  AND  ATTIC  FLOOR  PLANS  25 

that  the  line  representing  the  inside  line  of  the  wall  is  discon- 
tinued shortly  after  it  passes  the  partitions  that  intersect  it  as  at 
C,  but  that  the  line  denoting  the  outside  of  the  wall  is  continued 
to  the  corner.  This  is  to  show  that  while  the  studding,  boards, 
wall  shingles,  etc.,  continue  to  the  outside  corners,  the  plastering 
occurs  only  when  the  inside  of  the  wall  is  in  a  room  or  finished 
part  of  the  attic. 

The  balance  of  the  outline  of  the  house  at  attic  floor  level  is 
shown  by  a  dotted  line  D.  The  dot  and  dash  lines  E  show  the 
roof  plan,  those  around  the  outline  being  the  line  of  the  outside 
of  cornices  and  rakes,  and  the  one  through  the  center  being  the 
ridge  of  the  roof. 

Everything  else  necessary  to  know  on  this  plan  can  readily  be 
determined  by  applying  the  explanations  given  with  the  first  and 
second  floors  and  by  reading  the  notes. 


CHAPTER  IV 

Elevations,  Roofs,  Block  Plans,  and  the  Use  of  Colors  on 

Drawings 

We  will  next  take  up  for  consideration  the  various  elevations, 
of  which  Fig.  8  represents  the  front,  Fig.  9  the  rear,  Fig.  10  the 
left  side  and  Fig.  11  the  right  side  elevations.  These  are  all 
drawn  to  ^-in.  scale,  but  are  here  reproduced  one-third  that  size 
or  to  a  scale  of  %2  in-  equals  one  foot.  An  elevation  drawing  of 


FIG.  8 — FRONT  ELEVATION — SCALE  y12  IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 

the  side  of  a  building  is  one  in  which  every  part  that  can  be  seen, 
if  you  were  standing  directly  in  front  of  the  center  of  a  side  of  a 
building,  and  at  sufficient  distance  so  that  all  perspective  effect 
was  lost,  was  brought  forward  into  a  vertical  plane  and  pictured 
as  though  it  was  a  flat  surface. 

26 


ELEVATIONS  AND  ROOFS 


In  drawings  of  this  kind  true  heights,  widths  and  other  meas- 
urements may  be  obtained,  whereas  a  perspective  drawing  like  a 
photograph,  cannot  be  measured  in  the  ordinary  way.  Look  at 
the  upper  part  of  Fig.  8  at  A,  where  the  front  slope  of  the  roof  is 
shown.  As  far  as  this  drawing  goes  it  might  be  a  vertical  sur- 
face. Now  look  at  the  left  side  elevation  in  Fig.  10  and  you  will 
see  that  it  is  a  sloping  surface. 

If  you  scale  the  vertical  distance  A  on  both  Figs.  8  and  10  you 
will  find  that  they  are  the  same.  As  you  look  at  this  elevation 
(Fig.  8)  your  judgment  must  tell  you  that  the  surface  A  is  the 


FIG.  9 — REAR  ELEVATION — SCALE  yi2  IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 

main  roof,  the  surface  B  the  bay-window  roof,  and  the  surface  C 
the  porch  roof.  From  this  drawing  you  may  scale  the  true  ver- 
tical height  of  these  roofs,  but  to  get  the  pitch  or  slope  of  them 
you  must  refer  to  either  one  or  the  other  of  the  side  elevations 
which  are  at  right  angles  to  the  front.  Look  at  the  side  eleva- 
tions, Figs.  10  and  11,  where  the  roofs  are  marked  B  and  C. 


28 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


Thus  from  the  elevation  drawings  you  can  obtain  all  information 
relative  to  door  and  window  heights,  widths,  style,  etc.,  size  and 
slope  of  roofs,  style  of  cornice,  porches,  balustrades  and  outside 
trim  generally,  so  far  as  such  parts  may  be  intelligently  shown  at 
such  a  reduction  from  the  full  size.  Conventional  methods  of 
drawing  or  notes  also  make  clear  the  materials  used  for  wall  and 
roof  coverings.  When  all  of  the  above  are  taken  with  the  floor 
plans  and  specifications,  a  true  mental  picture  of  the  structure  is 
produced,  and  all  of  the  drawings  may  be  read  as  figured,  or 


FIG.  10 — LEFT  SIDE  OR  SOUTHEAST  ELEVATION — SCALE  yi2  IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 

scaled  if  not  figured,  for  actual  dimensions  to  use  in  estimating 
upon  or  carrying  out  the  erection  of  the  building. 

To  make  perfectly  clear  to  the  estimator  or  builder  the  style 
and  construction  of  cornices,  porches,  bay  windows,  etc.,  large 
scale  drawings  are  given  as  follows :  f -in.  scale  section  and  eleva- 
tions of  front  porch,  Fig.  12;  f-in.  scale  section  through  living 
room  bay,  Fig.  13,  and  IJ-in.  scale  section  through  main  cornice, 
Fig.  14.  The  J-in.  scale  typical  section  through  wall  and  roof 


LARGE  SCALE  DETAILS  AND  BLOCK  PLAN 


29 


of  house,  from  footings  to  roof  (Fig.  15),  provides  an  opportu- 
nity to  show  size  of  joists  and  rafters,  and  heights  of  stories 
properly  figured.  For  purposes  of  publication  these  drawings 
are  presented  to  a  scale  one-third  of  that  mentioned. 

There  is  also  shown,  at  a  scale  of  40  ft.  to  the  inch,  a  "block 
plan,"  as  in  Fig.  16.  The  main  purpose  of  this  plan  is  to  show 
the  location  of  the  house  on  the  lot.  It  should,  and  usually  does, 
show  many  other  things  necessary  to  know  and  inconvenient  to 


ircn  10"  IN  I'-O* 


TCn  4*i«  12* 


FIG.  1  1  —  ]?IGIIT  SIDE  OR  NORTHWEST  ELEVATION  —  SCALE  1^2  IN-  TO  THE 


put  on  the  general  plans.  Among  these  things  are  the  following  : 
Dry  wells  and  locations  ;  sewer,  gas  and  water  mains,  their  dis- 
tances from  the  house  and  the  direction  in  which  connections  of 
the  above  take  to  reach  the  house  ;  cesspools  and  locations  ;  walks. 
retaining  walls,  driveways  and  fences  ;  size  and  shape  of  lot  ; 
points  of  the  compass,  etc. 

All  of  these  matters  must  be  known,  and  the  block  plan  shows 


30 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


them  and  their  relation  to  each  other.  So  much  has  been  offered 
in  explanation  of  the  several  floor  plans,  small  sections  and  eleva- 
tions that  it  would  seem  that  further  words  would  only  confuse 
the  reader.  However,  a  few  words  in  explanation  of  some  of 


12 


FIG.  12 — ELEVATION  AND  SECTION  OF  FRONT  POBCH — SCALE  ^  IN.  TO  THE 

FOOT 


LARGE  SCALE  DETAILS 


31 


the  large  scale  drawings  may  possibly  be  of  assistance  in  helping 
ihe  reader  to  understand  them. 

Take  Fig.  12,  which  is  drawn  to  a  scale  of  f  in.  to  the  foot, 
but  published  to  a  scale 
of  f  in.  equal  1  ft.  On 
the  left  we  have  an  elevation 
of  the  porch  as  seen  from  the 
side.  On  the  right  is  a  sec- 
tion through  the  porch  taken 
about  on  line  R-R  of  Fig.  5, 
and  R-R  on  the  elevation  Fig. 
10  shows  about  where  this  sec- 
tion is  taken. 

You  will  see,  if  you  look  at 
the  porch  on  this  elevation, 
Fig.  10,  that  the  large  scale 
drawing  presents  about  that 
part  of  same  to  the  right  of 
the  line  R-R. 

The  principal  advantage  of 
this  large  drawing  of  the 
porch  is  that  the  draughts- 
man is  enabled  to  show  mould- 
ing profiles,  cornice  projec- 
tions, etc.,  and  give  dimen- 
sions that,  on  account  of  the 
small  scale,  could  not  be  made 
evident  on  the  front  or  side 
elevations.  The  section  also 
enables  him  to  show  the  con- 
struction and  size  of  frame 
members.  These  latter  points 
of  information  cannot  be 
shown  on  the  floor  plans  or  FIG.  13 — SECTION  THROUGH  LIVING  ROOM 
i-in.  scale  elevations.  BAY-SCALE  *  IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 

Fig.  13  is  a  section  through  the  living  room  bay  and  is  also 
drawn  f  in.  to  1  ft.,  but  published  one-half  this  size.  It  shows 
the  bay  as  it  would  look  if  cut  in  two  on  the  line  D-D,  Fig.  8,  and 


32 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


the  left-hand  piece  was  removed,  so  that  you  would  see  the  con- 
struction from  the  main  sill  on  the  foundation  up  through  to 
a  point  a  foot  or  so  above  the  second  floor. 

Everything  revealed  by  this  "autopsy,"  that  is  actually  cut 
through,  is  cross-hatched,  or  in  the  case  of  large  members  like 
the  sill  and  girt,  shown  in  imitation  of  a  large  piece  of  end  wood, 
the  growth  rings  and  checking  being  simulated.  The  joists  and 
studding,  the  sides  of  which  stand  revealed,  are  drawn  in  imita- 
tion of  a  large  piece  of  timber  or  plank  as  seen  sideways,  the 
side  grain  being  simulated. 

Fig.  14  shows  a  section  through  the  main  cornice  on  the  front 
or  rear  of  the  building  as  at  E-E,  in  Figs.  8  and  9.  Remarks  in 


LI/SE  OP  TOP  WIMDOW  GASI-NG 


FIG.  14 — DETAIL  OF  MAIN  CORNICE — SCALE  %  IN.  TO  THE  FOOT 

explanation  of  Fig.  13  apply  here  with  equal  force.  This  draw- 
ing was  made  to  a  scale  of  1 J  in.  to  1  ft.,  but  is  here  shown  one- 
half  this  size. 

Fig.  15  is  a  scale  section  through  the  house,  from  footing 
course  to  roof,  making  no  attempt  to  show  anything  except  story 
heights,  joists  and  rafter  sizes,  height  of  rough  window  open- 
ings, etc. 

Many  architects  and  draughtsmen  use  colors  and  different 
types  of  cross-hatching  to  show  the  materials  of  which  the 
various  parts  are  constructed.  For  instance,  red  is  used  to  show 
brick  in  plan  or  section,  yellow  to  show  wood,  and  blue  to  show 
stone,  etc.  While  these  different  colors  and  the  several  types 
of  cross-hatching  are  frequently  used,  custom  varies  as  to  their 


USE  OF  COLORS  ON  PLANS 


33 


use.     While  an  aid  to  reading  plans  they  are  in  no  sense  a 
necessity. 

The  proper  reading  or  understanding  of  plans  is  a  progressive 
study.  As  you  grasp  the  meaning  of  one  thing  shown,  the  mean- 
ing of  other  parts  adjacent,  become  apparent.  As  knowledge 
of  actual  construction  and  architecture  is  acquired,  the  meaning 


66.05 


3*'4- 


FIG.  15 — SECTION 

-SCALE  ^  IN.  TO  THE 

FOOT 


FIG.  16 — BLOCK  PLAIN 
— SCALE  1" — 40  FT. 


of  the  lines  becomes  more  and  more  evident,  and  while  sufficient 
explanations  have  been  given  above  to  start  the  student  on  his 
way,  he  must  be  ever  observant  of  things  structural  and  archi- 
tectural if  progress  is  to  be  made. 


PART  II 

Masonry,  Iron  Work,  Marble  Work, 
Metal  Work 


CHAPTER  V 
Knowledge  Required  by  the  Estimator 

No  one  should  undertake  to  estimate  quantities  from  plans 
until  he  has  reached  a  point  where  a  drawing  is  as  easily  read 
or  comprehended  as  so  much  printed  matter  is  read  and  under- 
stood by  a  person  taking  up  a  book  or  paper  dealing  with  a  sub- 
ject with  which  he  is  familiar. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  careful  study  of  the  preceding  chapters, 
and  the  drawings  which  accompany  same,  will  have  prepared 
the  student  to  come  up  to  the  above  requirements  and  thus  en- 
able him  to  follow  the  subject  intelligently. 

There  have  been  a  number  of  books  written  on  this  subject, 
but  in  the  main  they  tell  how  many,  brick  there  are  to  the  foot 
in  various  thicknesses  of  walls,  how  much  waste  there  is  on  lum- 
ber, how  much  work  of  various  kinds  a  man  ought  to  do  in  a 
day,  and  so  on.  Now  all  of  this  is  very  essential,  but  the  prob- 
lems that  confront  most  beginners  when  a  large  plan  is  given 
them  to  estimate  on  are  more  like  these :  Where  am  I  going  to 
begin  ?  How  am  I  going  to  know  when  I  have  taken  off  all  the 
materials  of  a  given  kind?  And  how  shall  I  go  at  it  to  know 
that  I  have  omitted  no  important  item? 

Most  men  engaged  in  any  of  the  various  trades  connected 
with  the  building  business  who  get  to  positions  where  it  becomes 
a  part  of  their  duty  to  "  survey "  quantities,  and  estimate  costs 
on  same,  I  assume  are  able  to  perform  the  ordinary  operations 
of  arithmetic,  such  as  addition,  subtraction,  multiplication  and 
division,  both  of  simple  numbers  and  of  fractions  or  decimals. 
I  shall  also  assume  that  they  understand  more  or  less  of  mensu- 

34 


KNOWLEDGE  REQUIRED  BY  THE  ESTIMATOR  35 

ration,  or  the  methods  of  obtaining  the  areas  of  various  shaped 
planes  and  the  contents  of  various  shaped  solids. 

In  the  chapters  dealing  Avith  "estimating"  I  shall  not  enter 
into  the  matter  of  "costs"  any  more  than  to  try  and  show  how 
you  can  work  out  for  yourself  the  cost  per  unit  of  the  various 
items  going  to  make  up  a  building.  As  the  cost  of  the  various 
commodities  entering  buildings,  also  the  labor  necessary  to  in- 
stall them,  are  so  variable  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  my 
reasons  for  this  must  be  plain. 

I  shall  treat  the  question  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  man 
figuring  the  "general  contract."  In  the  natural  order  of  things 
he  has  either  been  a  journeyman  mason  or  carpenter  before  cir- 
cumstances placed  him  in  the  lists  as  superintendent  or  con- 
tractor. 

No  one  man  can  know  everything  about  all  trades,  and  so  it 
will  be  impossible  for  him  to  figure  everything.  Nevertheless, 
if  he  has  had  his  eyes  and  ears  open  he  should  know  enough  to 
estimate  at  least  two-thirds  of  everything  entering  a  building. 
Such  items  as  electric  work,  plumbing,  heating  and  ventilating 
and  a  few  others  require  to  be  figured  by  men  having  an  in- 
timate personal  knowledge  of  these  trades.  It  is  very  embarrass- 
ing, when  called  upon  to  submit  a  bid  for  a  building,  to  have  to 
chase  all  over  town  to  get  sub-bids  to  cover  three- fourths  of  the 
job  before  being  able  to  make  up  a  figure.  Your  own  judgment 
and  ability  should  enable  you  to  make  a  figure  on  the  work  with 
but  little  assistance  from  others. 

It  is  an  unwritten  law  in  the  building  trades  that  if  a  sub- 
bidder  has  figured  some  portion  of  the  work  for  you,  and  you 
have  used  his  bid  in  making  your  figure,  he  should  be  awarded 
that  part  of  the  work  in  event  of  your  success  in  obtaining  the 
contract.  This  is  only  just  and  proper,  as  he  has  given  of  his 
time  and  brains  to  assist  you  in  making  a  price  for  the  work. 

My  experience  has  been  that  you  can  get  closer  bids  for  such 
parts  of  the  work  as  you  wish  to  sublet  if  the  parties  estimating 
know  that  you  have  actually  got  the  work  to  let  out. 

I  trust  that  the  above  remarks  have  prepared  the  reader  to 
take  up  with  me  the  actual  study  of  the  subject  in  hand.  Please 
bear  in  mind  that  opinions  vary  and  that  none  of  us  are  perfect. 


36  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

I  am  not  claiming  to  know  all  that  there  is  to  know  on  this  sub- 
ject, but  having  for  more  than  14  years  done  enough  figuring  to 
keep  about  150  men  employed,  on  the  average,  and  the  firm's 
accounts  showing  credits  on  the  profit  side  of  the  ledger,  I  feel 
that  what  I  may  have  to  say  will  be  of  help  to  many. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Method  of  Estimating 

In  general  practice  no  two  buildings  which  you  are  called 
upon  to  figure  will  be  exactly  alike;  nevertheless,  you  can 
have  a  general  system  or  method  and  vary  it  to  suit  individual 
cases.  By  having  such  a  system  and  always  following  it  as 
closely  as  circumstances  will  permit,  you  become  more  expert 
and  eliminate  the  possibility  of  errors.  Bear  with  me  for  stating 
some  things  that  are  obvious  to  the  average  reader,  and  remem- 
ber that  there  probably  will  be,  among  those  who  follow  this 
subject  with  me,  men  to  whom  very  little  is  plain.  It  is  in  order 
to  make  things  clear  to  them  that  I  go  into  these  seeming  trifles. 

When  a  plan  and  specification  is  handed  to  you  and  you  are 
requested  to  make  a  bid  for  the  work,  the  first  thing  to  do  before 
commencing  to  figure  is  to  look  the  plan  over  for  15  or  20  min- 
utes, or  longer  if  necessary,  until  you  have  a  sort  of  "mind 
picture"  of  the  building.  The  next  thing  in  order  is  to  view  the 
site.  It  is  not  safe  to  put  in  a  figure  on  a  job  if  you  have  not 
seen  the  site,  unless  it  is  in  a  locality  with  which  you  are  entirely 
familiar.  The  circumstances  of  site  may  make  a  good  deal  of 
difference  in  your  prices  per  unit  for  materials.  For  instance, 
the  structure  may  be  on  a  side  hill,  or  removed  from  the  traveled 
road;  there  may  be  no  water  near,  or  the  site  may  be  covered 
with  trees ;  or  in  the  case  of  a  town  or  city  building  you  may  be 
so  hemmed  in  with  buildings  as  to  make  the  handling  of  mate- 
rials very  difficult.  All  of  these  things  are  going  to  affect  your 
price  and  you  should  know  them.  I  have  often  gone  100  miles 
to  have  a  look  at  the  site  of  some  structure  on  which  I  was  figur- 
ing, not  staying  at  the  site  more  than  half  an  hour,  but  always 
coming  back  with  enough  extra  information  to  feel  amply  paid 
for  the  time  and  expense. 

Next  read  your  specifications  all  through,  not  only  those  parts 
that  you  intend  to  figure  yourself,  but  everything.  You  can 
conveniently  use  the  time  you  are  traveling  to  and  from  the  site 
for  doing  this.  You  will  now  have  an  intelligent  idea  of  what 
you  are  about  to  estimate  upon. 

37 


38  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Provide  yourself  with  a  suitable  book  for  your  estimates.  I 
have  found  that  the  most  convenient  book  for  this  purpose  is  one 
of  the  loose-leaf  kind,  with  pages  about  6x9  in.,  also  having  an 
index.  Number  your  estimates,  as  for  instance,  No.  51;  put 
down  the  title  of  the  building,  together  with  owner's  and  archi- 
tect's names,  the  date,  etc. ;  and  as  your  estimate  will  use  up 
several  pages,  number  the  pages.  You  will  find  that  keeping  an 
index  of  your  estimates  under  the  owner's  or  architect's  name, 
or  both,  will  be  valuable  to  you  if  you  should  want  some  time 
afterward  to  refer  to  them.  With  the  loose-leaf  book  you  can 
take  out  several  sheets  and  take  them  with  you  to  an  architect's 
office,  home  of  an  evening,  or  anywhere  else  without  carrying 
the  book  with  you.  When  your  book  becomes  full  you  can  re- 
move everything  but  your  index,  and  by  running  tapes  through 
the  holes  bind  a  hundred  or  so  estimates  and  file  away. 

Now  take  the  plans  apart,  and  if  you  have  space  to  do  it, 
spread  out  your  several  elevations  and  sections,  or  better  still, 
tack  them  up  in  front  of  your  table.  Leave  all  of  your  floor 
plans  on  the  table,  with  the  foundation  or  cellar  plan  on  top, 
first  floor  next,  and  so  on. 

Now  open  your  specifications  at  the  first  item,  which  will 
probably  be  "clearing  the  site."  Having  visited  the  site,  you 
can  now  set  a  price  on  the  work  you  will  have  to  perform  before 
you  can  begin  your  excavation.  The  cost  of  this  item  will  be 
largely  a  matter  of  judgment.  We  will  assume,  for  example, 
that  it  is  a  suburban  site;  perhaps  there  are  10  large  trees  to 
cut  down  and  the  stumps  to  remove,  a  lot  of  underbrush  to  be 
cut,  and  the  limbs  and  brush  from  the  trees  to  be  burned  up  or 
otherwise  disposed  of.  Then  reason  as  follows:  The  average 
tree  will  require  a  day's  time  to  cut  down  and  lop  off  the  limbs 
and  brush ;  to  get  out  the  stump  it  will  take  two  men  a  day ;  this 
makes  30  days '  time  for  the  10  trees.  Now  for  the  brush :  After 
sizing  it  up  you  conclude  that  a  couple  of  men  can  cut  it  all 
down  in  a  day,  and  that  it  will  take  them  another  day  to  gather 
it  up,  together  with  the  limbs  of  the  trees,  etc.,  and  burn  it  up. 
Thus  you  have  a  total  of  34  days'  work,  which,  if  done  by 
laborers  at  $2  a  day,  would  be  $68,  giving  you  the  cost  of  this 
item. 


METHOD  OF  ESTIMATING  39 

Before  starting  the  excavation  you  will  put  up  "batters,"  and 
if  the  work  is  large  you  will  probably  require  the  services  of  an 
engineer  and  his  helper  for  a  day.  A  few  minutes'  study  of  the 
plan  will  tell  you  how  many  posts  you  have  got  to  drive  and  how 
much  lumber  these  and  the  boards  for  them  will  require.  Picture 
yourself  there  with  a  carpenter  or  two  and  a  laborer,  and  deter- 
mine how  long  it  will  take  to  put  up  the  batters  and  get  the 
marks  on  them;  then  the  cost  of  the  lumber,  plus  the  amount 
you  have  determined  upon  for  labor,  plus  the  cost  of  the  engi- 
neer and  his  helper  for  a  day,  gives  you  the  cost  of  this  item. 


CHAPTER  VII 

Excavation  and  Ground  Work 

The  common  "unit  of  measure"  used  in  estimating  excava- 
tions is  the  cubic  yard,  or  27  cu.  ft.  Look  up  your  sections  and 
see  how  much  larger  than  the  size  of  the  building  your  excava- 
tion will  have  to  be  on  account  of  the  projection  of  the  footings. 
This  determined,  get  the  area  of  the  building,  allowing  suffi- 
ciently all  around  for  projection  of  footings,  and  consult  your 
elevations  for  the  natural  grades  and  the  depth  of  the  cellar, 
taking  the  depth  to  the 'bottom  of  the  concrete  for  the  general 
cellar  level,  and  put  it  down  on  the  estimate  sheet  (Fig.  17,  for 
example,  sizes  assumed).  Now,  if  there  is  some  deeper  part,  as, 
for  instance,  a  boiler  room,  take  this  area  by  its  depth  below  the 
former  depth  used.  Now  take  your  footings,  which  are  probably 
below  the  depths  just  figured,  taking  the  outline  of  the  building 
first,  then  your  cross  walls,  and  pier  and  chimney  footings  next. 
Then  if  there  are  areas,  bulkheads,  etc.,  set  down  their  dimen- 
sions. Continue  thus  through  the  entire  excavation.  Now  I 
would  advise  that  you  do  not  proceed  at  once  to  carry  out  the 
result  of  these  measurements,  getting  the  number  of  yards 
and  putting  a  price  on  them,  but  proceed  to  the  next 
item,  putting  down  the  dimensions  for  it  as  I  have  done 
for  excavation.  There  are  several  reasons  for  this:  First,  you 
want  to  get  through  with  the  plan  as  soon  as  possible,  roll  it  up 
and  have  it  out  of  the  way.  Second,  you  can  take  the  estimate 
sheets  with  you  in  your  pocket  and  figure  up  an  item  at  your 
desk,  at  home  of  an  evening,  while  on  a  railroad  train,  or  any- 
where, in  fact,  that  you  happen  to  have  a  few  minutes,  thus 
utilizing  a  lot  of  time  that  you  usually  let  go  to  waste.  Third,  I 
find  that  without  the  plan  in  front  of  you  to  distract  your  atten- 
tion, you  can  concentrate  your  thoughts  upon  the  figuring  much 
better,  thus  carrying  out  your  results  quickly  and  accurately. 
Fourth,  by  this  method  of  taking  off  the  quantities  you  can  drop 
the  work  at  any  stage  of  the  surveying  of  the  plan  or  carrying 
out  the  results  of  the  measurements  and  figuring  the  cost,  by 

40 


EXCAVATION  AND  GROUND  WORK 


41 


finishing  the  item  you  are  working  on  and  take  it  up  again  later 
the  same  day,  or  a  week  from  then,  a  glance  at  your  estimate 
sheets  showing  you  just  where  you  left  off. 

Notwithstanding  that  I  advise  you  to  delay  figuring  out  the 


u 


73 


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A  3-0 


62. 


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FIG.  17 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  1 

results  of  your  dimensions,  as  a  matter  of  convenience  in  writing 
on  the  subject  I  shall  carry  out  results  and  work  out  the  price 
with  each  item  as  we  go  along. 

Now  to  get  back  to  the  item  of  excavation:  By  figuring  out 
the  dimensions  set  down  under  this  heading  you  will  find  32-, 
503J  cu.  ft.,  which  makes  within  a  few  feet  of  1204  cu.  yd.,  so 


42  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

we  set  down  the  number  of  yards  as  1204.  In  putting  a  price 
on  this  work  you  must  consider  how  you  are  going  to  handle  the 
job,  whether  with  wheelbarrows  or  carts;  the  kind  of  soil,  wet 
or  dry,  clay  or  gravel,  etc. ;  also,  how  far  you  have  got  to  carry 
the  excavated  material  to  pile  it  up  or  dump  it. 

If  ordinary  digging  piled  up  within  100  ft.  or  so  from  the 
cellar,  it  will  cost  you  around  30  cents  per  yard,  and  if,  as  it 
often  happens  in  the  city,  the  excavated  material  has  to  be  carted 
a  couple  of  miles  to  a  dump,  the  cost  will  be  around  $1.50  per 
yard.  In  this  case  I  have  assumed  about  the  first  conditions  and 
set  the  price  at  35  cents  per  yard,  making  the  cost  of  this  item 
$421.40. 

Shoring  and  pumping  is  usually  all  a  matter  of  judgment. 
You  will  have  to  analyze  the  work  to  be  done  the  same  as  I  have 
done  on  the  ' '  clearing  the  site ' '  item,  making  up  your  mind  how 
many  days '  labor  will  probably  go  into  pumping,  and  how  much 
labor  and  stock  it  will  require  to  do  the  shoring.  On  all  such 
items  as  this,  which  are  purely  the  result  of  analysis  and  judg- 
ment, it  is  better  to  reason  out  and  put  down  the  cost  while  the 
plan  is  right  before  you,  and  you  have  reached  and  are  consider- 
ing the  item.  As  a  rule  this  takes  little  time. 

Piling 

Perhaps  the  building  is  on  piles,  and  if  so  there  will  be  a  piling 
plan  showing  the  number  and  disposition  of  them.  By  starting 
at  some  corner  of  the  building  and  going  around  the  outline, 
taking  next  all  cross  walls  running  in  one  direction,  then  cross 
walls  in  the  opposite  direction,  then  angular  cross  walls,  fol- 
lowed by  the  isolated  bunches  for  piers,  chimneys,  etc.,  it  re- 
solves itself  into  a  matter  of  care  and  counting  to  get  the  total 
number. 

If  you  are  familiar  with  the  locality  and  are  having  this  work 
done  often  you  will  know  the  length  required  and  for  what  you 
can  get  them  driven.  The  cutting  of  piles,  after  they  have  been 
driven  and  excavated  around,  is  usually  done  by  the  general  con- 
tractor and  costs  in  the  vicinity  of  20  cents  each.  If  unfamiliar 
with  the  locality  and  costs,  you  will  call  upon  some  one  who 
makes  this  work  his  business  and  get  a  price  per  stick,  driven, 


EXCAVATION  AND  GROUND  WORK  43 

and  by  adding  the  cutting  you  have  the  price  at  which  to  carry 
out  the  cost,  drawn  and  cut  complete. 

Borings 

On  jobs  of  any  size  it  is  customary  for  the  owner  or  architect 
to  have  borings  made.  A  plan  is  then  made  showing  location  of 
each  boring,  with  a  record  of  the  various  soils  and  substances 
underlying  the  surface,  and  the  depth  of  each  is  noted  on  the 
plan.  By  consulting  this  plan  you  can  see  just  what  kind  of 
soil  you  have  to  excavate,  whether  shoring  and  pumping  will 
be  necessary,  and  at  what  depth  a  secure  foundation  is  to  be 
found. 

Footings 

We  will  assume  that  our  building  has  concrete  footings,  so  on 
the  estimate  sheet  we  put  down  this  item,  and  after  it  make  a 
"memo."  of  the  mixture,  so  as  to  have  it  before  us  later  when 
we  put  a  price  on  the  concrete,  per  cubic  yard.  The  abbrevia- 
tions as  I  have  written  them  stand  for  1  part  of  Portland  cement, 
3  parts  sand  and  5  parts  broken  stone.  We  will  commence  by 
taking  off  the  footings  the  same  way  we  went  at  the  counting  of 
the  piles,  taking'  the  outline,  then  cross  walls  in  one  direction, 
and  so  on.  By  carrying  out  the  results  we  find  that  we  have 
within  a  few  feet  of  68  cu.  yd.,  and  for  such  a  mixture  in  this 
vicinity  we  make  the  price  about  $6.50  per  yard. 

If  there  were  piles  under  the  building  the  chances  are  that 
the  footings  or  "pile  cappers"  would  be  of  block  granite.  This 
would  not  change  your  method  of  taking  off,  and  in  carrying  out 
the  result  you  can  make  it  either  cubic  yards  or  perches,  accord- 
ing to  the  way  you  are  in  the  habit  of  figuring  stone  work. 


CHAPTER    VIII 

Foundation  Walls,  Walks,  Grading 

The  common  "unit"  in  stone  work  is  the  perch  (24.75  cu.  ft.), 
although  many  use  the  cubic  yard.  In  taking  off  the  quantity 
of  stone  work  proceed  about  the  same  as  for  footings,  outline 
first,  etc.  If  the  wall  varies  in  height  and  thickness  on  the  dif- 
ferent sides  of  the  building,  set  down  the  number  of  feet  in 
length  of  each  different  height  and  thickness  separately.  Refer- 
ence to  the  plans  and  sections  will  give  you  the  desired  informa- 
tion, and  frequently  the  depth  of  foundations  is  shown  dotted 
on  each  elevation,  and  numerous  scale  sections  are  often  put  on 
the  foundation  plans  to  show  more  fully  all  of  various  dimen- 
sions of  walls.  According  to  the  figures  I  have  assumed,  there 
are  slightly  under  236  perches,  so  we  carry  out  the  cost  on  that 
number. 

In  order  to  set  a  price  on  the  stonework  you  must  know  or 
find  out  the  price  per  perch,  or  cubic  yard,  for  the  kind  of  stone 
called  for,  delivered  at  the  site ;  the  number  of  perches  that  the 
average  mason  in  your  locality  will  lay  in  a  day;  the  amount  of 
attendance  he  will  require;  the  quantity  and  quality  of  mortar 
required  per  perch,  and  the  prices  for  sand,  lime  and  cement. 
Knowing  these,  you  can  readily  work  out  the  probable  cost  per 
perch  or  cubic  yard.  For  example,  I  will  work  out  the  cost  of  a 
perch  of  wall  laid  up  of  local  rubble,  according  to  present  con- 
ditions here.  It  is  customary  in  this  vicinity  for  the  party  selling 
the  stone  to  measure  the  wall  when  built  to  determine  the  num- 
ber of  perches  and  charge  the  purchaser  the  number  thus  found. 
Local  rubble  per  perch,  delivered,  is  $1.75 ;  mortar,  1  part  Port- 
land cement  at  $2.20  per  barrel,  4  parts  sand  at  $1  per  cubic 
yard,  makes  cost  of  materials  for  a  cubic  yard  of  mortar  as 
follows : 

1.7  barrels  cement  cost $3.74 

.98  cubic  yard  sand 98 

Total  cost  of  cu.  yd.  of  mortar $4.72 

44 


FOUNDATION  WALLS,  WALKS,  GRADING  45 

One  mason  at  60  cents  per  hour,  one  laborer  to  make  and  carry 
mortar,  and  two  laborers  to  handle  stone  to  the  mason  and  assist 
him  in  placing  them  on  the  wall,  all  at  30  cents  per  hour,  should 
in  a  day,  under  normal  conditions,  lay  from  six  to  seven  perches 
of  wall ;  call  it  six  perches,  thus : 

8  hours  mason  at  60  cents $4.80 

24  hours  laborers  at  30  cents 7.20 

Cost  of  labor  for  six  perches $12.00 

making  $2  per  perch. 

Now  the  result  of  the  above  analysis  is  as  follows : 

Stone $1.75 

Mortar  ( 1/3  cu.  yd.  per  perch ) 1.60 

Labor    .  .   2.00 


Total  per  perch ; $5.35 

In  case  of  a  wood  building  where  there  is  an  underpinning 
shown  above  grade,  or  a  retaining  wall,  or  any  other  stonework 
required  to  be  laid  up  with  more  care,  or  of  better  stone  than 
used  in  foundations,  the  dimensions  should  be  taken  off  sepa- 
rately and  price  for  same  made  to  suit  the  quality  of  stone  and 
kind  of  work  required.  Many  builders  figure  this  kind  of  work 
by  the  face  foot  instead  of  by  the  cubic  yard  or  perch,  but  if 
you  figure  this  way  the  thickness  of  the  wall  must  be  taken  into 
account  in  making  the  price. 

Concrete  or  Granolithic  Floors,  Walks,  Etc. 

The  customary  unit  of  measure  for  these  items  is  the  square 
yard  (9  sq.  ft.).  The  simple  operation  of  getting  the  square 
feet  in  a  space  inclosed  by  walls  or  other  bounds  needs  no  ex- 
planation. If  the  plan  is  irregular  in  outline,  divide  by  imagi- 
nary lines  into  several  squares,  rectangles  or  triangles,  and  com- 
pute the  area  in  square  feet,  then  reduce  to  square  yards. 

If  there  are,  as  is  usual,  different  thicknesses  on  differently 
prepared  foundations,  with  varying  top  finishes,  each  kind  should 
be  taken  care  of  separately,  and  then  the  price  of  each  made  to 
suit  the  circumstances,  See  page  2  of  the  estimate  sheet  shown 
in  Fig,  18, 


46 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 
Drains 


This  is  simply  a  matter  of  obtaining  the  running  feet  of  each 
size,  and  in  making  price,  you  must  consider  the  depth  the  pipes 
are  laid,  and  the  nature  of  the  soil.  If  your  plan  is  large  and 


/7 


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72.'  A    *!-£*) 


O 


To 


t><13G 


FIG.  18 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  2 

there  are  many  long  runs  of  drain,  a  very  convenient  way  to 
take  same  off  is  to  use  a  5-ft.  pocket  tape.  On  a  J-in.  scale  draw- 
ing multiply  the  number  of  inches  of  drain  on  the  plan  by  4  and 
you  have  the  number  of  feet  and  no  possibility  of  making  a 
mistake  in  addition. 

Where  roof  water  is  taken  care  of  by  dry  wells,  the  specifica- 


FOUNDATION  WALLS,  WALKS,  GRADING  47 

tion  will  usually  tell  you  the  depth  below  inlet  of  drain,  diameter, 
and  whether  walled  up  or  filled  with  coarse  stone.  By  taking 
one  typical  well  and  analyzing  as  follows,  determine  the  price : 
Typical  well  4  ft.  deep  below  inlet,  3  ft.  diameter,  filled  to  within 
2  ft.  of  grade  with  coarse  stone,  equals  2  yd.  excavation  at  50 
cents,  about  1^  cu.  yd.  of  stone,  which  can  usually  be  gathered 
up  around  the  premises  (chips  and  refuse  resulting  from  founda- 
tion and  underpinning  work),  worth  deposited  in  hole,  say,  60 
cents,  representing  2  hr.  for  a  laborer,  plus  1  hr.  more  for  a 
laborer  to  fill  over  and  level  off  surplus  earth,  30  cents,  plus  1 
hr.  time  for  foreman  at  50  cents  to  locate  the  well  and  oversee 
the  operation,  making  total  cost  $2.40. 

If  there  are  one  or  more  cesspools,  analyze  as  above  and  deter- 
mine price. 

I  went  to  some  length  in  analyzing  the  stonework  and  dry  well, 
to  give  you  an  idea  how  to  dissect,  so  to  speak,  anything  upon 
which  you  wish  to  make  a  price.  Consider  each  component  part 
separately  and  compile  the  results.  This  method  must  be  used 
to  find  the  cost  of  any  part  or  unit  of  measure  met  with  in  esti- 
mating the  cost  of  building  operations. 

Grading 

This  item  is  largely  a  matter  of  judgment,  especially  if  no 
great  amount  of  earth  is  to  be  moved,  and  you  do  not  have  to 
purchase  loam,  as  is  usually  the  case  in  ordinary  building  opera- 
tions. Thus  you  size  up  the  situation  and  make  up  your  mind 
about  how  many  days  it  would  take  a  certain  number  of  men  to 
perform  the  work,  assisted,  if  necessary,  by  so  many  days'  work 
for  a  team,  plus  a  foreman's  time  to  oversee  the  operation.  If  a 
large  job,  you  have  excavation  of  a  certain  number  of  cubic- 
yards  to  bring  lot  to  sub-grade,  the  purchase,  teaming  and 
spreading  so  many  cubic  yards  of  loam,  etc.,  readily  found  by 
surveying  the  plans.  You  then  figure  out,  at  unit  prices,  the 
various  items  covering  the  work,  for  your  total. 

Sodding  is  always  figured  by  the  square  foot  or  square  yard. 
It  will  vary  in  cost  from  6  to  12  cents  per  foot,  according  to  cir- 
cumstances. I  shall  not  offer  any  explanation  as  to  obtaining 
the  quantity  from  plans,  as  it  is  a  simple  operation  of  finding 
areas. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Brickwork 

If  the  building  under  consideration  is  a  wooden  structure, 
about  all  the  brick  necessary  will  be  that  for  piers,  chimneys,  fire 
stopping,  and  possibly  underpinning.  For  piers  and  chimneys 
the  best  way  is  to  figure  the  number  of  brick  per  foot  of  height, 
multiplying  by  the  whole  number  of  feet.  For  instance,  as- 
suming five  courses  to  1  ft.,  an  8-in.  pier  has  10  brick  per  foot, 
a  12-in.  22J  brick,  a  16-in.  40  brick,  etc.  Set  down  on  your 
estimate  sheet  the  number,  length  and  size  of  piers  and  carry  out 
result  later.  See  page  3  of  estimate  sheet,  Fig.  19. 

It  may  be  here  stated  that  brick  from  various  localities  vary 
greatly  in  size.  The  smaller  brick  lay  up  about  five  courses  to  1 
ft.  The  larger  brick  will  sometimes  lay  up  14  in.  in  five  courses. 
With  the  smaller  ones  it  requires  22^  brick  to  lay  1  cu.  ft.  of 
wall.  As  this  is  the  generally  recognized  number  per  cubic  foot, 
I  shall  use  it  in  treating  the  subject  of  brickwork;  but  in  actual 
practice  you  will  have  to  regulate  the  number  of  brick  per  cubic 
foot,  or  face  foot  for  the  various  thicknesses  of  wall,  to  the  size 
of  brick  you  intend  using. 

Chimneys,  especially  without  fireplaces,  are  also  best  figured 
by  finding  the  number  of  brick  per  foot  in  height  and  multiplying 
by  total  feet  in  height.  If  there  are  fireplaces,  find  the  number 
of  brick  per  foot  in  the  base  and  multiply  by  the  number  of  feet 
in  height  to  the  point  in  chimney  above  fireplace,  where  it  is 
drawn1  into  the  flue  or  flues,  with  necessary  withes  (partitions 
between  flues  in  a  chimney),  proceeding  with  balance  of  chim- 
ney as  for  any  ordinary  one.  You  must  also  add  enough  brick 
to  head  over  the  chimney  under  the  fireplaces  and  for  hearths. 

Brick  used  for  underpinnings  comes  under  the  head  of  walls ; 
thus  the  explanation  on  walls  will  cover  this  item. 

I  think  the  best  way  to  figure  walls  is  to  measure  the  face  feet 
of  each  thickness,  and  after  taking  out  the  "outs"  multiply  by 
the  number  of  brick  per  foot  for  each  thickness.  The  prevailing 
custom  in  this  locality  is  to  allow  openings  out  at  about  three- 

48 


BRICKWORK 


49 


quarter  their  size,  unless  they  are  very  large,  in  which  case  we 
allow  them  out  at  full  size.  We  make  no  allowance  for  very 
small  "outs."  It  was  at  one  time  customary  to  allow  the  corners 


XV 


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FIG.  19— ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  3 


double,  but  I  do  not  think  the  custom  prevails  to  any  extent 
now. 

In  a  brick  building  where  there  are  walls  of  various  thick- 
nesses—both outside  walls  and  partitions— I  find  the  best  method 


50  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

of  surveying  the  brick  is  to  work  from  the  various  foundation 
and  footing  levels,  at  which  the  brickwork  starts,  up  to  the  top 
of  the  first  floor,  then  from  top  of  first  floor  to  top  of  second 
floor,  and  so  on  to  the  top  of  the  structure. 

Should  the  outside  or  any  partition  Avail  be  of  uniform  thick- 
ness through  several  stories  you  can  simplify  matters  some  by 
taking  the  total  height  of  the  several  stories  in  one  measurement. 
For  the  purpose  of  illustration,  however,  we  will  assume  that  the 
walls,  both  outside  and  partitions,  are  of  various  thicknesses  not 
only  from  one  story  to  another,  but  in  each  story. 

Method  of  Procedure 

Now  with  the  basement  or  cellar  plan  before  you  and  sections 
and  elevations  where  you  can  refer  to  them,  proceed  as  follows : 
Take  a  prominent  corner  of  the  outside  wall  and  work  around 
the  entire  outline  of  the  building.  For  instance,  on  the  side  you 
have  taken  for  a  start  the  wall  is  figured  20  in.  The  elevation 
for  this  side  shows  from  top  of  foundation  (probably  about  6 
in.  under  finished  grade)  to  top  of  first  floor  to  be  3  ft.  at  one 
end  and  7  ft.  at  the  other,  making  an  average  height  of  5  ft.; 
then  set  down  on  the  estimate  sheet  as  shown  in  Fig.  3,  the 
dimensions  5  ft.  x  60  ft.  x  20  in.  There  are  several  windows 
scaling  3  ft.  wide  and  with  an  average  height  of  4  ft.  6  in. ;  then 
under  heading  of  "outs"  put  down  3  ft.  x  3  ft.  x  20  in.  x  4 
(times) ;  I  am  assuming  four  windows,  and  the  size,  3  ft.  x  3  ft., 
saves  fractional  figuring,  and  gives  about  three-quarters  actual 
size. 

Proceeding  to  the  next  piece  of  outside  wall,  set  down  as 
above,  not  forgetting  that  in  taking  the  first  dimension  you  have 
got  the  corner  and  should  allow  it  off  on  measuring  this  wall. 
This  would  be  20  in. ;  but  in  figuring  brick  I  never  work  in  any 
fraction  of  a  foot  for  length,  except  6  in.  or  J  ft.  Life  is  too 
short  to  work  down  any  finer  than  this  on  brickwork,  and  if  you 
were  to  work  down  to  each  actual  inch  in  taking  wall  lengths  and 
heights  on  a  large  building  where  there  were  200,000  of  brick,  it 
might  make  an  actual  difference  of  2000  or  3000  of  brick,  or 
from  $40  to  $60  at  current  prices  of  brickwork.  This  variation 
on  a  job  of  this  size  is  of  no  moment,  and  there  would  be  the 
difference  between  an  hour  and  six  or  seven  hours  in  taking  off 


(        BRICKWORK  51 

arid  figuring  up  the  number  of  brick,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
mental  * '  wear  and  tear. ' '  Now,  having  taken  your  outside  walls, 
proceed  to  take  off  the  partitions. 

Partition  Walls 

Begin  with  the  thinnest  walls,  probably  8  in.,  taking  all  that 
run  in  one  direction  first,  then  all  in  the  opposite  direction  next, 
followed  by  the  walls  that  run  at  angles,  setting  down  on  a  scrap 
of  paper  each  length  and  adding  up.  Assume  that  we  total  up 
62  ft.  of  8-in.  wall  all  the  same  height  from  a  stone  or  concrete 
footing  to  top  of  first  floor,  which  is  10  ft.  6  in. ;  then  set  down 
on  your  estimate  sheet  62  ft.  x  10  ft.  6  in.  x  8  in.  Now  take  12 
in.,  16  in.  and  any  other  thickness  of  walls,  each  in  their  turn, 
in  the  same  manner  that  we  took  the  8-in.  walls,  and  set  down 
the  dimensions.  Then  set  down  the  "outs"  for  all  these  walls. 
Should  any  of  the  cellar  be  deeper  than  the  10  ft.  6  in.— the 
general  depth  assumed— take  the  one  or  more  places  that  are 
deeper  and  set  do-wn  the  length,  by  the  extra  depth,  by  the  thick- 
ness. Having  gone  through  the  basement  in  this  manner  you 
are  not  apt  to  have  missed  anything  or  have  taken  any  piece  of 
wall  twice.  Now  take  the  first  story,  working  from  top  of  first 
to  top  of  second  floors  for  height,  proceeding  thus  to  the  top  of 
the  wall. 

Now  after  you  are  through  with  the  plan  and  are  ready  to 
figure  out  the  number  of  brick,  take  your  estimate  sheet  and  do 
so,  following  the  dimensions  you  have  set  down  from  the  plans. 
In  figuring  up  the  number  of  brick,  work  out  first  the  number  of 
brick  in  chimneys  and  piers  and  set  down  to  one  side.  Now  you 
can  figure  all  of  the  wall  dimensions  into  cubic  feet  and  add  up ; 
take  out  the  total  cubic  feet  of  "outs,"  obtaining  the  net  cubic 
feet  of  brickwork  and  multiplying  by  the  number  of  brick  per 
cubic  foot  (22J)  ;  or  beginning  with  8-in.  walls,  get  the  total 
number  of  face  feet  less  the  face  feet  of  "outs"  in  8-in.  walls 
and  multiply  by  the  number  of  brick  per  face  foot  for  an  8-in. 
wall  (15?).  Proceed  in  a  similar  manner  with  12-in.,  16-in., 
20-in.,  24-in.,  etc.,  walls,  adding  the  resulting  number  of  brick 
for  each  thickness  to  the  number  previously  obtained  in  chim- 
neys -and  piers  for  the  total  number  of  brick  in  the  job, 


52  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Price  of  Brickwork 

To  obtain  the  price  per  thousand  for  the  brick  laid  complete 
in  the  building  we  must  analyze  as  follows: 

Cost  per  M  of  common  brick  delivered  at  site $  8.75 

Cost  of  mortar  (made) 3.00 

Cost  of  laying  brick  and  labor  of  carrying,  etc 8.00 

Cost  of  staging 1.00 

Total  cost $20.75 

Of  course,  the  prices  I  have  used  above  will  vary  with  the 
locality;  but  by  separating  1000  of  brick,  laid,  into  the  above 
items  and  considering  each  item  separately,  you  may  readily 
obtain  the  cost  in  your  locality. 

Face  Brick 

In  treating  brickwork  above  I  have  assumed  that  the  walls 
right  through  were  of  one  kind  of  brick.  While  in  some  build- 
ings you  figure  this  will  be  the  case,  in  more  of  them  there  will 
be  several  kinds  of  brick.  For  instance,  the  exterior  on  one  or 
more  elevations  may  be  faced  with  selected  water  struck,  or  any 
one  of  the  numerous  colored  face  brick.  Then,  perhaps,  the 
boiler  room,  elevator  shaft,  or  some  other  parts  of  the  interior, 
may  be  lined  with  glazed  brick. 

I  have  found  by  experience  that  you  are  less  apt  to  make 
errors  if  you  take  off  the  brickwork  of  a  building  as  though 
they  were  all  of  one  kind  and  then  proceed  to  take  the  face, 
glazed,  hollow,  or  other  kinds,  separately;  after  computing  the 
number  of  each  kind  take  them  out  of  the  total  survey  of  com- 
mon brick  as  you  would  so  many  '"outs."  See  estimate  sheet, 
Fig.  3. 

Ground  Brick 

Often  the  arch  brick  and  brick  for  angular  corners,  etc.,  have 
to  be  ground  to  the  shapes  required  to  properly  execute  the 
work.  In  cases  of  this  kind,  after  having  estimated  the  face 
brick,  take  off  the  surface  feet  of  arches,  etc.,  and  after  com- 
puting the  number  deduct  from  the  face  brick,  as  I  have  de- 
ducted face  from  common  brick  on  the  estimate  sheet.  Grinding 
arch  and  corner  brick  usually  costs  us  in  this  locality  about  5 


BRICKWORK  53 

cents  each  (labor  of  grinding  only).  We  deliver  to  the  parties 
doing  the  work  sufficient  brick  and  they  grind  each  brick  for 
its  proper  place  in  the  arch,  numbering  them  to  correspond  with 
numbers  on  a  setting  plan  of  arch,  and  deliver  each  arch  packed 
in  a  barrel. 

Washing  and  Pointing 

In  nearly  all  cases  it  will  be  necessary  to  point  up  the  brick- 
work of  exterior  walls,  also,  around  stone  or  other  trimmings, 
windows,  etc.,  before  the  job  can  be  called  complete.  This  is 
usually  called  for  in  the  specifications.  The  only  proper  way 
to  make  a  good  job  of  this  is  from  a  swing  stage,  after  the  regular 
mason's  stage  has  been  taken  down.  In  the  large  cities  there 
are  men  who  make  a  business  of  this  class  of  work,  and  after 
talking  with  most  of  them  in  Boston  I  find  that  they  have  no 
systematic  way  of  arriving  at  the  cost  of  the  work,  it  being 
largely  a  matter  of  judgment  with  them  as  to  what  a  job  will 
cost. 

This  is  one  of  the  items  that  you  can  best  analyze  while  the 
plan  is  right  before  you.  I  go  at  it  as  follows :  The  men  work 
in  pairs— mason  and  helper— on  a  stage  about  10  ft.  long.  I 
look  at  the  plan  to  see  how  many  times  they  will  have  to  hang 
the  stage  and  then  judge  as  to  about  how  long  they  ought  to  be 
coming  down  with  the  stage  each  time.  For  instance,  we  will 
say  they  have  got  to  hang  stage  eight  times,  and  will  be  one  and 
one-half  days  coming  down;  we  then  have  12  days  for  the  two 
men;  the  12  days  for  the  mason  at  $4.80,  and  12  days  for  the 
tender  at  $2.40,  making  a  total  for  labor  of  $86.40,  to  which  we 
must  add  the  teaming  of  the  stage  to  and  from  the  job ;  use  of, 
and  wear  and  tear  to  same,  say  $15 ;  brushes  and  muriatic  acid, 
$6 ;  a  little  cement,  sand,  etc.,  $5 ;  all  making  a  total  of  $112.40. 
Now  I  assume  that  the  man  wants  a  little  profit,  and  put  the  job 
down  for  $125. 

Waterproof  Coating  of  Walls 

Occasionally  the  inside  surface  of  all  or  a  part  of  the  outside 
walls  is  coated  with  hot  pitch  or  asphalt,  or  some  of  the  water- 
proof paints  now  on  the  market.  The  cost  is  usually  figured  by 
the  square  yard.  To  determine  the  number  of  square  yards  it 
is  only  necessary  to  "survey"  the  inside  surface  of  such  walls 


54  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

as  are  to  be  treated,  taking  out  the  larger  "outs."  This  being 
a  simple  process,  will  require  no  explanations.  With  R.  I.  \V. 
paint  so  used  on  a  large  job  recently  done  in  Boston,  the  result 
was  as  follows: 

B.  I.  W.  paint,  at  80  cents  per  gallon,  slightly  thinned  with 
benzine  and  two  coats  applied : 

Cost  per  square  yard,  stock $0.1 1  % 

Labor,  at  30  cents  per  hour 04 

Total $0.15% 

The  cost  of  pitch  or  asphalt  would  be  from  three  to  five  times 
as  much  as  the  R.  I.  W.,  as  above. 

Flue  Linings 

As  a  rule,  nowadays,  chimneys  have  terra  cotta  flue  linings. 
In  getting  the  number  of  feet  of  each  size,  refer  to  the  basement 
plan.  Look  over  the  chimneys  and  see  what  the  sizes  are.  For 
instance,  you  see  that  some  are  8  in.  by  12  in.,  some  12  in.  x  12 
in.  and  some  12  in.  x  16  in.  Set  down  on  a  piece  of  paper  each 
size.  Now  take  one  chimney  showing,  for  instance,  in  the  cellar 
two  8  in.  x  12  in.  flues,  lined ;  refer  to  the  elevation  which  shows 
the  top  of  this  chimney ;  measure  from  point  on  elevation  where 
flue  starts  to  its  intersection  with  roof,  or  to  the  top,  if  lining 
is  carried  to  top,  and  set  down  number  of  feet  under  8  in.  x  12 
in.,  twice  for  the  two  flues.  Now  follow  this  chimney  up  by 
referring  to  first  floor  plan.  Here  may  be  a  fireplace,  in  which 
case  the  lining  would  start  about  5  ft.  up  from  floor  and  run  to 
the  roof  boards  or  chimney  top,  as  in  case  of  other  two  flues. 
Assume  this  to  be  a  12  in.  x  12  in.  flue ;  refer  again  to  elevation, 
and  scale  on  same  from  5  ft.  above  first  floor  to  top,  and  set 
down  the  number  of  feet  under  12  in.  x  12  in.  Follow  this 
chimney  floor  by  floor  to  the  top  in  this  manner,  and  when  com- 
pleted take  the  next  chimney,  and  so  on  until  finished.  Now 
add  up  total  feet  of  each  length  and  set  down  on  your  estimate 
sheet. 

In  figuring  the  price  I  usually  add  from  5  cents  to  15  cents 
per  foot  to  the  cost  delivered  for  handling  from  team,  carrying 
and  setting,  loss  from  breakage,  thus  getting  total  cost  per  foot 
installed  in  building. 


CHAPTER  X 

Stone  and  Terra  Cotta,  Ornamental  and  Structural.    Concrete 

Floors 

In  nearly  all  cases  where  there  are  cut  stone  trimmings  it  is 
safer  to  get  a  sub-bid  for  the  work,  specially  if  there  are  mould- 
ings, columns,  brackets,  carving,  etc.  If  you  have  only  a  few 
sills,  steps,  lintels,  etc.,  and  have  kept  your  eyes  and  ears  open, 
you  probably  know  about  the  price  per  running  foot  for  the  work 
in  various  kinds  of  stone  and  styles  of  cutting.  Assuming  that 
the  trim  is  simple,  take  off  and  set  down  on  your  estimate  sheet, 
Fig.  20,  the  number  of  feet  and  sills,  lintels,  etc.,  together  with 
a  little  sketch  of  same,  with  a  note  on  the  kind  of  cutting,  and 
later  figure  same  up.  Or,  if  you  choose,  go  to  a  granite  or  lime- 
stone man  and  get  his  figure  on  your  schedule  as  put  down  on 
the  estimate  sheet. 

By  careful  tabulation  of  time  on  an  average  building  con- 
taining $4000  worth  of  cut  granite,  in  just  such  trimmings  as  I 
have  used  for  example  on  the  estimate  sheet,  I  found  the  cost  of 
all  handling  and  setting  of  granite  was  20  per  cent,  of  the  cost  of 
the  stone  delivered.  Further  observation  on  other  buildings  has 
verified  this  cost.  The  mortar  required  for  setting  such  granite 
as  I  have  listed  is  amply  provided  for  by  the  brick  displaced  by 
the  stone,  as  it  is  not  customary,  in  taking  off  quantity  of  brick, 
to  deduct  anything  for  stone  or  terra  cotta  trimmings,  except 
in  the  case  of  some  very  large  belt  courses.  So  we  put  down  for 
setting  about  20  per  cent,  of  the  cost  of  the  granite  delivered  at 
the  site,  or,  in  round  numbers,  $175. 

Limestone 

Practically  everything  I  have  said  in  regard  to  granite  will 
apply  to  limestone,  except  that  the  setting,  as  a  rule,  I  have 
found  will  cost  only  about  7  to  8  per  cent,  of  the  cost  of  the 
stone.  There  are  several  reasons  for  this,  as  follows:  The 
granite  usually  sets  in  area  ways;  on  top  of  rough  foundation 
walls;  in  most  cases  one  or  two  sides  are  rough  splits,  making 

55 


56  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

it  hard  to  handle  it  on  rollers;  and  in  such  cases  as  above  it  is 
usually  hand  set.  Limestone,  on  the  other  hand,  is  sawed  on  the 
sides  where  the  granite  is  split,  usually  sets  in  brickwork,  thus 
giving  a  level  bed  to  work  from,  and  in  most  cases  is  derrick 
set,  as  it  usually  comes  in  places  accessible  to  the  derrick. 

In  order  to  prevent,  as  far  as  possible,  the  discoloration  of 
limestone  by  the  cement  used  in  the  mortar  of  adjoining  ma- 
sonry, it  is  becoming  customary  for  architects  to  call  for  the 
painting  of  beds,  backs  and  unexposed  ends  of  all  pieces  of  stone 
with  one  of  the  waterproof  paints  now  on  the  market,  such  as 
"  Antihydrene  "  or  "R.  I.  W."  waterproof,  paint.  Where  this  is 
to  be  done  you  will  have  to  use  your  judgment  as  to  about  how 
much  paint  and  labor  will  be  required  to  do  the  work,  as  such 
work  as  this  cannot  be  put  on  a  yard  basis;  or  in  taking  a  bid 
for  the  limestone  you  can  require  stone  to  be  delivered  at  the 
building  painted. 

Terra  Cotta  Trimmings  and  Floor  Arches 

In  a  general  way  there  is  no  great  difference  between  terra 
cotta  used  as  trimmings  and  granite  or  limestone,  except 'again 
in  the  setting.  My  judgment  in  the  matter  is  that  it  will  cost 
to  set  terra  cotta  nearly  as  much  as  granite,  as  in  the  burning  a 
great  many  pieces  are  more  or  less  warped,  and  in  order  to  make 
courses  appear  as  straight  as  possible  the  masons  have  to  spend 
considerable  time  with  it.  Then,  too,  all  of  the  hollow  places  in 
it,  except  those  that  overhang  the  ashlar  line,  have  to  be  filled 
solid  with  brick  and  mortar;  and  in  the  case  of  cornices,  more 
or  less  iron  work  has  to  be  put  in  to  anchor  it  to  the  walls.  All 
these  things  tend  to  make  the  cost  of  setting  high,  and,  as  a  rule, 
I  figure  about  20  per  cent,  of  the  cost  of  the  material  for  hand- 
ling same  from  cars  to  building  and  setting  in  place  in  the  wall. 

The  various  forms  of  terra  cotta  for  floor  construction  are  sold 
by  the  square  foot,  delivered.  Any  of  the  large  concerns  will 
quote  you  a  square  foot  price  on  application.  To  this  must  be 
added  the  cost  of  centering,  laying  and  mortar.  The  quality  of 
mortar  will,  of  course,  be  determined  by  your  specifications.  If 
you  have  framing  plans  showing  all  floor  beams  and  girders, 
you  can  make  a  more  accurate  survey  of  the  area  than  from  the 


TERRA  COTTA  FLOORS  AND  PARTITIONS  57 

regular  floor  plans,  as  the  floor  openings  are  more  clearly  and 
accurately  shown,  and  there  is  less  on  the  plan  to  distract  and 
confuse.  If  your  building  is  irregular  in  plan,  obtain  the  area 
of  a  floor  as  I  have  explained  under  the  head  of  concrete  floors. 
Set  down  your  areas  and  "outs"  on  the  estimate  sheet  and  carry 
out  the  result  in  square  feet  and  price  later. 

To  determine  the  cost,  erected  in  the  building,  we  must  add 
to  the  cost  of  the  material  per  foot  delivered,  the  cost  of  center- 
ing; carrying  blocks;  materials  for  making  and  the  carrying  of 
mortar;  and  the  laying  of  the  blocks  by  the  masons.  As  the 
plank  for  centering  can  be  used  several  times,  it  is  only 
necessary  when  considering  this  item  to  put  down  a  fraction  of 
the  cost  of  material.  For  instance,  with  spruce  at  $28  per  1000 
ft.,  I  should  figure  as  follows: 

Cost  per  foot  of  floor  arches  (delivered) $0.14 

Cost  per  foot  of  centering    (3  ft.  board  measure   required  for  each 

square  foot  floor) ,  1  cent  per  foot 03 

Labor  of  centering  (two  men  can  prepare  about  500  sq.  ft.  in  a  day 

of  eight  hours,  wages  50  cents  per  hour) 016 

Cost  of  mortar,  making  and  carrying  ( about  one  part  Portland  cement 

and  three  parts  sand  and  very  little  lime) 05 

Cost  of  laying  (good  mason  can  do  about  250  sq.  ft.  per  day  of  eight 

hours,  at  60  cents  per  hour ) 02 

Cost  of  tending,  other   than  mortar  making  and   carrying;    usually 

three  tenders  per  mason  to  handle  blocks  (40  cents  per  hour)  ...     .05 

Total  cost  per  foot $0.306 

Of  course,  the  deeper  the  block  the  more  mortar  will  be  re- 
quired, and  also,  as  they  are  heavier  to  handle,  a  mason  will  lay 
less  in  a  day.  Then  other  circumstances  may  tend  to  slightly 
increase  or  decrease  the  cost  of  labor  and  mortar,  and  these 
must  be  considered  and  price  made  accordingly  for  each  job. 

Terra  Cotta  Partitions 

For  obtaining  the  number  of  square  feet  of  terra  cotta  block 
partitions,  begin  with  the  basement  plan,  or,  if  there  are  no  block 
partitions  there,  with  the  first  floor  plan.  Take  all  partitions 
running  horizontally,  beginning  at  the  top  of  the  plan  and  work- 
ing down  to  the  bottom,  setting  down  each  measurement  on  a 
piece  of  paper.  Then  take  all  partitions  running  at  right  angles 


5$  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

to  the  ones  just  taken  (vertically  as  you  face  the  plan),  also 
setting  down  measurements  with  former  figures;  then  take  all 
partitions  running  in  any  other  direction.  Add  these  results  for 
total  running  feet  of  partition  and  set  down  on  your  estimate 
sheet  the  result  of  your  addition  multiplied  by  the  height  of  story. 
For  instance,  92  ft.  by  10  ft.,  as  shown  on  the  estimate  sheet. 
Now  count  your  doors  and  other  "outs"  and  take  an  average 
opening;  for  instance,  a  2  ft.  8  in.  by  6  ft.  8  in.  door.  The 
allowance  made  in  which  to  set  the  frame  plus  the  skeleton  frame 
of  spruce  or  coarse  pine,  usually  set  up  from  floor  to  ceiling  be- 
fore partition  is  built,  will  make  the  actual  opening  about  3  ft. 
6  in.  by  7  ft.  6  in.  This  makes  the  26  sq.  ft.  "out."  I  find  the 
general  custom  is  to  allow  about  one-half,  as  there  is  consider- 
able loss  by  breakage  in  cutting  blocks,  and  also  extra  time  is 
consumed  around  openings.  Thus  on  the  estimate  sheet  I  have 
allowed  15  sq.  ft.  per  door,  multiplied  by  the  number  of  doors. 
Openings  much  smaller  than  doors  I  should  ignore,  and  much 
larger  ones  set  down  separately,  allowing,  as  the  opening  gets 
larger,  nearer  to  the  actual  number  of  square  feet  in  the  opening. 
Proceed  in  this  manner  throughout  the  building,  floor  by  floor, 
until  the  survey  is  completed.  By  taking  off  the  partitions  in 
the  manner  I  have  described,  you  will  not  be  nearly  as  apt  to 
get  confused  as  you  would  be  if  you  started  at  any  point  and 
tried  to  take  partitions  running  in  all  directions  as  you  pro- 
ceeded. I  should  let  -the  figuring  out  of  the  number  of  square 
feet  of  terra  cotta  floors  and  partitions,  the  quantities  of  which 
we  have  put  down  on  the  estimate  sheet,  go  until  you  have  rolled 
up  and  put  away  your  plan. 

Price  of  Block  Partitions 

In  making  a  price  per  foot  for  the  blocks  erected  in  the  build- 
ing proceed  in  the  same  way  we  did  for  establishing  the  price  of 
floor  arches,  which,  without  going  too  much  into  detail,  would 
be  about  as  follows : 

4-in.  blocks  per  foot,  delivered $0.07 

Mortar   per    foot 02 

Labor,  one  mason  and  two  laborers  average  about  200  sq.  ft.  per  day, 

masons  60  cents  per  hour  and  laborers  30  cents  per  hour 05 

Per  foot  in  building $0.14 


TERRA  COTTA  FLOORS  AND  PARTITIONS  59 

In  making  the  price  per  foot  for  labor  you  must  consider  the 
number  of  feet  in  the  job;  the  arrangement  of  the  partitions, 
the  height  of  the  building,  etc.,  as  all  of  these  are  factors  in 
making  up  your  mind  as  to  how  many  blocks  per  day  a  mason 


„  J 


<y 


2-fci 


/  ^ 


^  X  t  X  ^," 


/  e-o-i 


£  <±S  . 


72  *    ?-*• 


yj  x 


31 


o 


4.         /2. ''        „ 


*-o    3    ;TT 


/7<S 


23V 


FIG.  20 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  4 


and  his  laborers  can  lay.  On  some  jobs  the  average  will  be  as 
low  as  125  blocks  per  day,  while  on  others  you  can  get  it  up  to 
nearly  300.  I  have  had  one  mason  and  one  laborer,  where  con- 
ditions were  extremely  favorable,  lay  300  blocks  per  day. 


60  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Reinforced  Concrete  Floors 

As  there  are  a  number  of  systems  of  reinforced  floors  on  the 
market,  more  or  less  complex,  it  will  be  better  to  get  a  bid  from 
specialists  to  cover  such  parts  of  the  work.  However,  if  con- 
versant with  the  system  called  for,  and  you  can  subdivide  and 
analyze  the  materials  and  labor  entering  into  it,  make  your  own 
price.  The  explanations  offered  for  obtaining  areas  and  analyz- 
ing costs  under  the  head  of  "terra  cotta  floor  arches"  would 
sufficiently  cover  this  item. 


CHAPTER  XI 

Steel  and  Iron  Work 

Unless  the  plan  calls  for  a  limited  quantity  of  structural  sfteel 
and  cast  iron  in  such  simple  forms  as  beams,  channels,  columns, 
etc.,  without  complex  framing  in  the  case  of  steel,  and  plain 
columns  and  plates  in  the  case  of  cast  iron,  I  would  advise  you 
to  get  a  sub-bid  from  some  one  in  this  line  of  business.  If, 
however,  the  quantity  is  limited,  make  a  schedule  on  the  estimate 
sheet,  and  after  you  are  through  with  the  plans  figure  it  into 
pounds  and  carry  out  the  price  at  so  much  per  pound,  erected 
in  the  building  and  painted  if  called  for. 

Referring  to  the  estimate  sheet,  Fig.  20,  the  first  item  is  one 
set  of  three  15  in.,  42  Ib.  beams,  having  four  separators.  By 
referring  to  Carnegie's,  or  any  other  of  the  rolling  mill  hand 
books,  you  will  find  tables  giving  size  and  weight  of  standard 
separators,  and  tables  giving  weight  of  bolts  of  all  sizes,  and 
thus  you  can  readily  figure  out  the  weight  of  this  set  of  beams 
complete,  which  would  be  as  follows: 

Pounds. 

58  ft.  6  in.  of  beams,  42  Ibs 2,457 

8  separators,   13.51   Ibs 108 

8  bolts,  y^  in.  in  diameter,  14  in.  under  head 18 

Total  weight  of  set 2,583 

Now  while  the  cast-iron  separators  will  cost  a  little  less,  and 
the  bolts  a  little  more  per  pound  than  the  steel  beams,  their 
weight  is  so  small  a  part  of  the  whole  weight  that  I  would  figure 
out  the  cost  on  the  basis  of  the  pound  price  of  steel.  Thus  we 
would  estimate  as  follows: 

Steel  beams  made  into  sets  and  delivered  at  site,  3J  cents  a 
pound,  erection  and  field  painting  f  cent  a  pound,  make  a  total 
of  4  cents  per  pound,  set  in  building.  On  this  basis  the  entire 
list  of  steel  beams  which  weigh  6094  Ib.  cost  in  the  building 
$243.76. 

In  the  matter  of  setting  steel  there  will  be  quite  a  variation 
in  cost,  it  making  a  great  difference  where  and  how  they  are 

61 


62  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

located  in  the  structure,  and  whether  it  is  necessary  to  handle 
with  jacks,  hand  rigging,  or  steam.  Assume  that  the  job  is  large 
enough  to  make  it  economy  to  set  up  a  derrick  and  engine.  This 
set  of  beams  we  have  figured  out  come  to  the  site  on  a  team ;  you 
put  a  chain  011  them,  give  a  signal,  and  in  five  minutes  they  are 
up  50  ft.  in  the  building,  and  set  on  the  wall  in  their  place. 
Now  J  cent  per  pound,  which  in  this  case  is  about  $6.50,  will 
pay  the  entire  cost,  including  rental  of  engine  and  derrick,  coal, 
oil,  etc.,  if  your  rigging  is  constantly  working.  Add  to  this  the 
cost  of  painting,  which  should  not  exceed  another  ^  cent  per 
pound,  and  you  have  a  cost  of  J  cent  per  pound  erected  in  the 
building. 

On  the  other  hand,  you  may  have  no  steam  rigging,  and  you 
will  have  to  call  out  seven  or  eight  laborers  to  roll  .the  set  of 
beams  off  the  team  and  then  run  them  40  or  50  ft.  into  the 
building  on  a  block  roller,  and  hoist  with  a  hand  rigging  14  or 
15  ft. ;  the  whole  operation,  including  shifting  your  breast  der- 
rick around  and  guying  it,  consuming  three  to  four  hours'  time 
and  a  couple  of  hours  for  the  foreman,  and  costing  about  as 
follows : 

8  men  three  hours,  at  40  cents $  9.60 

2  hours  foreman,  at  75  cents 1.50 

Painting,  y4  cent  per  pound .* 6.50 


Total  cost    $17.60 

This  on  the  2583  Ib.  which  the  set  weighs,  making  cost  about 
f  cent  per  pound. 

Thus,  in  such  ways  as  above,  you  will  have  to  analyze  and 
work  out  a  cost  to  suit  the  conditions  confronting  you  in  the  job 
you  have  in  hand. 

In  regard  to  putting  a  steam  hoisting  rigging  on  a  job,  let 
me  say  here  that  unless  the  building  is  either  high,  of  very  heavy 
construction,  and  of  considerable  area,  thus  enabling  you  to  keep 
rigging  working  practically  all  of  the  time,  do  not  install  it,  but 
use  breast  derricks  with  hand  winches.  The  ordinary  charge 
for  use  of  a  large  derrick  and  engine  is  about  $18  per  week,  the 
engineer's  wages  will  be  about  $21  per  week;  two  tag  men  $18 
per  week  each ;  coal  and  oil  will  cost  about  $10  per  week,  which 
add  up  to  $85.  Then  the  cost  of  teaming  the  apparatus  to  and 


STEEL  AND  IRON  WORK  63 

from  the  job,  setting  up  derrick,  and  raising  it  from  floor  to  floor 
as  the  work  progresses,  will  cost  perhaps  $250  more.  Now, 
perhaps  the  outfit  will  be  in  use  10  weeks,  which  will  make  a 
total  cost  of  $1100.  You  can  readily  see  that  unless  there  is 
considerable  heavy  material  to  handle,  it  will  cost  less  to  put  it 
up  in  some  other  way. 

Go  through  your  plan  and  make  a  list  of  the  structural  cast 
iron.  This  you  can  also  figure  into  pounds  and  carry  out  your 
price,  after  you  have  laid  aside  the  plan.  Under  the  same  con- 
ditions, the  cost  of  setting  and  painting  will  be  about  the  same 
as  for  steel.  As  a  rule,  cast  iron  costs  less  per  pound,  in  such 
forms  as  I  have  scheduled,  than  steel,  and  you  will  have  to 
acquaint  yourself  with  the  prices  in  your  neighborhood.  In 
carrying  out  cost  on  the  estimate  sheet  I  have  allowed  2^  cents 
per  pound,  which  is  the  average  for  such  shapes  in  this  vicinity. 

If  the  plans  in  hand  call  for  steel  that  is  very  complex  in 
framing,  or  of  a  decided^  special  character,  boiler  plate  or  cast 
iron  facias  and  column  casings,  fire  escapes,  iron  stairs,  cast  or 
wrought  iron  grills,  etc.,  you  will  have  to  have  a  sub-bid  from 
someone  in  this  line  of  business.  All  small  iron  work,  such  as 
anchors,  timber  dogs,  bolts  and  joint  bolts,  truss  rods  and  straps, 
and  joist  hangers,  you  can  easily  figure  yourself,  first  making  a 
list  of  them  on  your  estimate  sheet.  Anchors,  dogs  and  standard 
hangers  are  sold  at  fixed  prices,  which  you  can  obtain.  The 
other  small  iron  can  be  figured  into  pounds,  and  the  pound  price 
obtained,  the  cost  determined.  The  cost  of  setting  all  this  small 
iron  is  ordinarily  covered  by  the  prices  you  will  set  on  the  parts 
of  the  work  in  which  they  are  used.  For  instance,  in  figuring 
floor  frame,  the  price  you  use  for  labor,  per  1000,  should  include 
setting  hangers,  dogs,  joint  bolts,  wall  anchors,  etc. 


CHAPTER  XII 
Marble,  Mosaic  and  Terrazzo  Work 

As  a  rule,  most  marble  work  that  goes  into  buildings  is  of  such 
a  character  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  get  a  subbid  from  a 
marble  worker.  However,  if  it  is  very  plain  work,  and  you 
choose  to  inform  yourself  on  the  prices  per  square  foot  for  the 
several  kinds  of  marble  most  in  use,  and  your  judgment  is  good 
in  forming*  an  estimate  of  the  labor  and  materials  required  to 
set  the  work  up,  you  can  make  a  price  that  is  very  close. 

Mosaic  floors  are  easily  figured  if  they  are  of  the  ordinary 
patterns,  such  as  a  plain  field,  with  simple  isolated  ornaments 
and  line  borders  of  different  colors.  The  prices  for  field,  borders, 
and  ornaments  in  each  locality  are  practically  standard,  and 
thus  making  a  price  for  a  mosaic  floor  simply  resolves  itself  into 
the  number  of  square  feet  of  field  and  border,  at  their  respective 
prices  per  square  foot,  plus  so  many  ornaments  at  so  much 
apiece,  plus  so  many  square  feet  or  square  yards  of  concrete 
foundation,  of  a  given  thickness  at  its  price  per  square  foot  or 
square  yard. 

Terrazzo  floors  also  are  laid  at  standard  prices  with  which  you 
can  easily  acquaint  yourself.  The  price  will  vary  from  15  cents 
per  square  foot  in  very  large  areas,  say  5000  sq.  ft.  or  more,  to 
24  or  25  cents  for  the  ordinary  job  of  several  hundred  square 
feet  and  up.  If  in  very  small  quantities,  say  less  than  a  couple 
of  hundred  feet,  or  if  laid  between  strips  of  marble  or  slate, 
cutting  the  floor  up  into  comparatively  small  panels,  the  price 
will  vary  from  30  to  40  cents  per  square  foot.  This  floor,  like 
a  mosaic  floor,  also  has  to  have  a  foundation  of  concrete  prepared 
for  it,  and  the  cost  of  same  would  be  worked  out  as  any  other 
job  of  floor  concreting  would. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

Roofing  and  Metal  Work 

Slate  roofing  is  easily  figured  by  any  one  who  can  measure  the 
area  of  a  roof.  Quotations  can  always  be  obtained  from  dealers 
at  a  few  moments'  notice,  for  slate  of  almost  any  size  or  color. 
Then  you  analyze  as  follows,  and  determine  the  price  per  square 
(100  sq.  ft.)  laid  on  roof: 

A  10  x  20  in  No.  1  Monson  black  slate  bored  and  countersunk 
per  square,  at  site,  $8.20 ;  galvanized  nails,  2  lb.,  at  5  cents  per 
pound,  10  cents ;  tar  paper  at  2J  cents  per  pound,  1^  Ibs.  per 
yard,  makes  42  cents  per  square;  labor  of  putting  on  paper, 
handling  and  laying  slate,  $3  per  square,  making  total  of  $11.72 
per  square  complete.  Now,  this  multiplied  by  the  number  of 
squares,  of  course  gives  you  the  cost  of  your  roof.  While  I 
have  set  the  labor  above  $3  per  square,  this  would  vary  from  $2 
to  $10,  according  to  the  shape  of  your  roof. 

The  former  price  would  pay  (in  Boston)  for  a  perfectly  plain 
roof,  while  the  latter  price  would  not  be  high  for  some  roofs 
which  are  all  hips,  valleys,  towers,  etc.  Occasionally  in  putting 
on  a  slate  roof  a  certain  number  of  course  at  eaves,  ridges,  val- 
leys, hips,  etc.,  are  called  for  to  be  bedded  in  elastic  cement. 
This  increases  the  cost  of  labor  per  square,  plus  the  cost  of  the 
required  amount  of  elastic  cement.  In  cases  of  this  kind  I  would 
put  down  on  the  estimate  sheet  so  many  squares  at  the  price  I 
had  worked  out  for  the  roof  generally,  then  put  down  the  num- 
ber of  squares  bedded,  and  multiply  by  the  additional  cost  per 
square.  To  bed  slate  requires  about  100  Ibs.  of  elastic  cement  to 
the  square,  the  cost  of  which  would  be  about  $3  and  it  would 
make  the  labor  cost  from  $2  to  $4  additional.  Now,  as  we  have 
above  assumed,  a  comparatively  plain  roof,  the  additional  cost 
on  the  number  of  squares  which  are  bedded  would  be  as  follows : 

Cement    ( 100  lb. ) $3.00 

Labor 2.00 

Total  additional  cost  per  square $5.00 

65 


66  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

The  item  of  slating  we  will  not  carry  into  the  estimate  sheet, 
as,  while  we  are  dealing  with  hypothetical  building,  from  the 
general  dimensions  and  materials  I  have  assumed,  such  a  build- 
ing would  have  some  kind  of  a  flat  roof,  such  as  tin,  copper, 
plastic,  or  composition  (tar  and  gravel). 

In  the  case  of  composition  roofs,  the  cost  per  square  will  de- 
pend upon  the  quality  and  number  of  layers  of  paper  used, 
whether  mopped  and  graveled  in  coal  tar,  pitch,  or  asphalt,  the 
method  of  laying  and  mopping  the  paper,  and  the  cost  of  labor. 
Only  an  experienced  roofer  can  carefully  analyze  the  cost  per 
square,  but  in  every  locality  there  are  standard  prices  for  the 
several  grades  of  composition  roofs  most  called  for,  which  prices 
it  is  your  own  fault  if  you  do  not  know  and  when  conditions  are 
normal  you  may  use.  If  conditions  are  abnormal,  it  becomes  a 
matter  of  judgment  with  the  roofer  as  to  what  the  probable  cost 
will  be,  and  if  your  judgment  is  good  you  can  probably  arrive 
at  the  result  as  well  as  the  average  roofer.  In  taking  off  roofing 
from  plans  you  would  proceed  as  in  any  other  case  where  you 
simply  want  the  square  feet.  In  setting  down  on  estimate  sheet  I 
should  put  the  number  of  squares,  as  in  most  cases  you  will  have 
only  to  make  several  multiplications,  taking  but  two  or  three 
minutes,  and  it  avoids  making  your  estimate  sheets  too  numerous. 
If  there  are  skylights,  scuttles,  etc.,  in  the  roof,  it  is  not  cus- 
tomary to  figure  them  out,  unless  they  are  quite  large,  say  100 
sq.  ft.  or  more,  as  the  extra  labor  involved  cutting  and  flashing 
around  them  offsets  any  saving  in  materials  effected. 

The  price  per  square  for  the  roof  usually  includes  the  edge 
cleat,  and  flashings  around  chimneys,  scuttles,  skylight  curbs, 
party  and  battlement  walls,  to  a  total  width  of  8  or  9  in. ;  any 
more  flashing  than  this  must  be  figured  by  the  square  foot  or 
square  (100  sq.  ft.)  at  the  unit  price  for  the  kind  called  for. 
Such  flashing  might  be  zinc,  tin,  galvanized  iron  or  copper. 
Reference  to  your  plans  and  sections  will  show  you  the  heights  of 
skylight  curbs,  walls,  pent  houses,  etc.,  that  require  covering, 
and  obtaining  the  square  feet  is  a  simple  matter.  In  this  case, 
as  in  the  roofing,  you  can  set  down  the  number  of  squares  and 
carry  out  your  price  later.  Thus,  on  estimate  sheet  we  have  put 
down  seven  squares  of  16  ounce  copper,  and  four  squares  24 


ROOFING  AND  METAL  WORK  67 

gauge  galvanized  iron  flashing.  Prices  on  zinc,  copper,  etc.,  per 
square  are  also  standard  for  normal  conditions,  and  you  should 
keep  informed  as  to  same. 

At  the  present  time,  in  this  market,  16  ounce  copper  flashings, 
roofing,  etc.,  are  worth  $40  per  square.  Zinc,  tin  and  galvanized 
iron  are  all  worth  about  the  same  in  the  above  situations,  and  a 
fair  price  for  them  to-day  would  be  $12  per  square. 

Metal  Skylights 

Ordinary  galvanized  iron  skylights,  hipped,  with  condensation 
gutters,  and  glazed  with  \  in.  wired  glass,  furnished  and  set 
complete  on  curb  already  prepared,  are  worth  about  75  cents  per 
square  foot  measured  flat.  Thus,  if  your  skylight  opening  meas- 
ured over  all,  on  the  outside  of  the  curb,  6  ft.  by  10  ft.,  we  would 
call  it  a  60-ft.  skylight,  and  at  the  price  I  have  used  above  would 
be  worth  $45.  If  a  skylight  of  the  character  just  described  were 
either  very  small  or  very  large  the  cost  per  square  foot  would 
be  greater  than  quoted.  Take,  for  example,  a  skylight  3x4  ft., 
which  is  12  sq.  ft.  The  laying  out  would  take  just  as  long  as 
for  the  6  x  10  ft.  one.  A  brake  would  bend  a  rafter  bar  for  the 
larger  just  as  quick  as  for  the  smaller.  The  difference  in  labor, 
making,  erecting  and  glazing  might  be  12  hr.,  which  at  45  cents 
per  hour  would  be  $5.40.  In  the  stock  the  savings  would  be 
about  as  follows:  About  35  sq.  ft.  of  galvanized  iron  at  4  cents, 
making  $1.40;  50  cents  worth  of  solder;  about  60  sq.  ft.  of  glass 
at  24  cents  per  foot,  amounting  to  $14.40.  Thus  the  total  saving 
in  cost  between  the  larger  and  smaller  skylights  would  be  about 
$22.  This  would  make  the  3  x  4  ft.  "skylight  cost  $23,  or  nearly 
$2  per  square  foot.  You  can  readily  see  from  the  above  analysis 
that,  as  the  size  decreases,  you  must  increase  the  price  per  foot. 
In  the  case  of  very  large  skylights,  the  increase  is  mainly  caused 
by  light  structural  steel  reinforcement  required  to  make  the  sky- 
light not  only  self -sustaining,  but  capable  of  withstanding  snow 
loads. 

In  the  average  job  the  skylights  met  with  are  of  such  ordinary 
sizes  that  the  standard  price,  with  such  adjustments  as  your 
judgment  dictates,  can  be  safely  used.  For  your  guidance,  I 
will  give  a  few  more  prices  on  skylights  that  might  be  termed 


68 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


"Standard."  A  16-ounce  copper  skylight  similar  to  the  first 
galvanized  iron  one  described  is  worth  about  $1.20  per  square 
foot;  skylights  that  pitch  both  ways,  having  gable  ends  formed 
by  the  curb,  are  worth  about  10  per  cent,  less  than  hipped  sky- 


O 


*«*.  ^M^(/*&) 
„  ^^     j 


^ 


f  /X.&S 


*r> 


-^g~^ 


W 


IT 


2.XJ?    - 


/?  '^ 


tfc 


FIG.  21 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  5 

lights.  Flat  skylights,  that  is,  those  having  only  one  pitch,  and 
that  about  the  same  as  the  roof  in  which  they  are  located,  are 
worth  in  16-ounce  copper  about  90  cents,  and  in  galvanized  iron 
about  50  cents,  per  foot. 

Ventilators  add  to  the  cost  according  to  size  and  style;  \  in, 


HOOFING  AND  METAL  WORK  CO 

rough  plate  and  J  in.  wired  rough  plate  glass  cost  about  the 
same,  thus  the  use  of  either  would  not  affect  price ;  £  in.  rough 
plate  (not  wired)  would  decrease  the  price  about  15  cents  per 
square  foot  of  glass  area  (not  curb  opening  area). 

As  wall  copings  are  usually  of  only  three  or  four  sizes,  it  is 
not  difficult  to  keep  posted  on  the  prices  they  are  each  worth  a 
running  foot,  applied  to  the  wall,  both  in  galvanized  iron  and 
copper.  In  case  of  any  ordinary  size,  in  either  metal,  the  labor 
is  substantially  the  same.  As  an  example,  we  will  work  out  the 
cost  on  a  24  gauge  galvanized  iron  coping  for  a  12  in.  wall.  Al- 
lowing 5  in.  to  turn  down  each  side  of  wall  and  bend  at  edge  to 
form  drip  we  have  a  total  width,  extended,  of  22  in.  The  chances 
are  that  a  24  in.  wide  sheet  of  metal  would  be  used,  and  if  the  2 
in.  were  cut  off  it  would  be  waste,  so  that  the  metal  worker  would 
probably  turn  down  a  little  more  each  side  and  use  the  whole 
sheet ;  then  we  have  2  sq.  ft.  of  metal  at  4  cents,  making  8  cents, 
and  labor  to  make  and  apply  15  cents,  making  cost  per  linear 
foot  23  cents.  Now,  as  the  metal  man  wants  a  little  profit,  the 
fair  cost  per  foot  for  you  to  figure  would  be  25  cents.  If  copper 
was  used,  the  change  in  price  would  come  on  the  difference  in 
cost  between  galvanized  iron  and  copper.  To-day,  with  copper 
at  27  cents  per  pound,  the  2  sq.  ft,  would  cost  56  cents,  thus  the 
coping  would  cost  the  metal  man  48  cents  more  per  linear  foot. 
If  you  were  covering  a  16-in.  instead  of  a  12-in.  wall,  4  x  12  in. 
more  of  metal  would  be  required  per  linear  foot,  as  4  in.  is  one- 
sixth  of  24  in.  (the  extended  width  used  to  make  the  coping  we 
have  worked  out  a  price  upon)  we  must  increase  the  cost  of  the 
stock  per  linear  foot  one-sixth.  So  instead  of  8  cents  we  have 
9  1-3  cents  per  foot  for  stock,  labor  being  practically  the  same, 
the  cost  is  increased  to  24  1-3  cents  per  foot.  In  putting  the 
metal  man's  profit  on  to  this  we  will  take  up  the  fraction  by 
adding  2  2-3  cents,  thus  giving  us  27  cents  as  the  price  to  use  in 
our  estimate.  You  can  see  how  easy  it  is,  from  the  above  illus- 
trations, to  figure  yourself  the  cost  of  skylights  and  copings,  if 
you  take  the  little  trouble  required  to  keep  posted  on  the  cost  of 
sheet  metals  and  get  a  line  on  labor,  as  performed  by  metal 
workers,  by  keeping  your  eyes  and  ears  open  and  asking  your 
metal  man  a  few  leading  questions  now  and  again. 


70  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

In  the  case  of  metal  cornices,  bay  windows,  etc.,  the  work  is  of 
such  a  character  that  the  only  sure  way  of  getting  a  close  esti- 
mate is  to  call  in  the  metal  man.  While  you  could  in  most  cases 
figure  out  the  required  amount  of  stock  as  well  as  the  average 
cornice  maker,  only  his  experience  can  determine  the  probable 
cost  of  the  labor.  As  the  labor  on  cornices,  etc.,  is  frequently 
from  75  to  95  per  cent,  of  the  total  cost,  you  might  get  very  far 
astray  by  trying  to  figure  such  work  yourself. 


PART  III 

Carpenter  Work 


CHAPTER   XIV 

Frame,  Studding  and  Furring 

As  estimating  the  carpenter  work  will  probably  prove  of  more 
than  usual  interest  to  a  large  percentage  of  the  readers  of  this 
work,  I  shall  try  to  be  a  little  more  explicit  and  go  somewhat 
more  into  details. 

As  my  estimate  sheets  have  assumed  a  brick  building,  some  of 
the  items  under  the  head  of  carpenter  work  will  not  appear  on 
them.  Nevertheless,  I  shall  try  and  make  the  text  so  clear  as  to 
render  it  unnecessary. 

My  observation  has  led  me  to  believe  that  a  majority  of  the 
carpenters,  in  estimating  their  work,  figure  out  the  quantities 
of  lumber,  hardware,  etc.,  and  put  a  price  on  them,  and  then 
"lump"  the  labor,  judging,  or  guessing,  the  latter  amount.  Now, 
if  a  man  is  doing  one  class  of  work  all  the  time,  for  instance, 
dwellings  costing  three  or  four  thousand  dollars,  he  can  judge 
the  cost  with  considerable  accuracy ;  but  if  he  was  to  estimate  a 
wooden  building  of  an  entirely  different  character,  such  as  a 
freight  shed  or  a  coal  pocket,  his  judgment,  or  guess,  in  the 
matter  of  labor,  would  probably  be  far  astray. 

In  the  various  classes  of  buildings,  the  labor  bears  a  certain 
average  ratio  to  the  amount  of  stock.  If  you  build  a  freight 
shed  and  it  costs  you  $5  or  $6  more  per  1000  ft.  to  frame  and 
erect  same  than  the  generally  recognized  cost,  you  have  a  poor 
crew,  or  they  are  badly  managed,  or  both.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
you  can  hold  the  cost  down  $1  or  $2  from  the  recognized  cost, 
you  have  an  exceptional  crew,  well  managed. 

In  figuring  practically  all  branches  of  carpenter  work  I  advise 
the  builder  to  determine  a  cost  per  ' '  unit ' '  installed  in  the  build- 
ing. By  a  system  of  time  slips,  similar  to  the  ones  explained 
and  illustrated  in  Chapter  25,  you  can  soon  establish  labor  costs 
upon  which  to  base  your  estimates. 

71 


72  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Frame 

Under  this  head  include  all  girders,  sills,  floor  joists,  rafters, 
and  collar  beams.  The  unit  of  measure  I  make  1000  ft.  board 
measure.  If,  as  probably  would  be  the  case,  we  had  framing 
plans,  the  first  thing  to  do  is  to  separate  them  from  the  regular 
plans  and  elevations,  putting  the  latter  to  one  side  for  the  time 
being. 

Take  the  first  floor  frame,  and  begin  with  the  heaviest  timber 
first,  probably  the  girders.  Now,  on  the  estimate  sheet  put  down 
the  heading  thus:  Spruce  (or  H.  P.)  frame;  then  piece  by  piece 
set  down  your  schedule  as  follows  : 

6  x  10  in.—  3/15,  1/13,  1/10.6.  ) 


8  x  10  in.-l/32,  2/19,  4/16.  estimate 


Having  taken  all  girders,  list  the  sills,  beginning  at  one  corner 
and  working  clear  around  building,  continuing  the  schedule  on 
the  estimate  sheet. 

Floor  Joists 

Look  over  the  plan  and  see  what  your  largest  floor  joists  are, 
usually  under  partitions,  or  trimmers  and  headers  around  stairs 
or  other  openings.  Put  these  timbers  down  next.  Now  take  off 
the  regular  floor  joists,  beginning  at  one  side  or  the  top  of  the 
plan,  according  to  the  way  the  joists  run;  taking  each  "bay"  or 
division  complete  before  proceeding  to  the  next.  In  this  way 
continue  listing  frame  on  all  floors  and  the  roof. 

You  are  probably  sufficiently  able  to  figure  the  schedule  into 
board  feet,  so  I  will  offer  no  explanations.  This  accomplished, 
we  must  determine  the  percentage  of  waste  and  add  this  to  the 
net  schedule.  On  a  frame  of  comparatively  heavy  timber,  if 
sawed  to  your  order,  the  waste  should  not  be  over  10  per  cent. 
If  you  do  not  have  time  to  order  the  stock  in  from  the  mills,  but 
must  take  it  out  of  stock  from  local  lumber  yard  or  wharf,  the 
Avaste  will  run  from  10  to  20  per  cent.  By  studying  your  build- 
ing a  little  to  see  if  the  time  required  to  put  in  the  foundation 
is  going  to  permit  the  ordering  of  frame  from  the  mills,  leaving 
any  leeway  for  possible  delays  in  freight,  you  can  make  up  your 
mind  as  to  the  waste.  The  prices  you  know  or  can  readily  obtain. 
Such  timber  as  I  have  listed  should  be  installed  in  the  building 


FRAME,  STUDDING  AND  FURRING  73 

for  from  $8  to  $12  per  1000  ft.  board  measure.  Thus  the  cost 
per  thousand  feet  in  building  would  be  about  as  follows : 

Timber  per  1000,  delivered  at  site $26.00 

Labor  (average)    10.00 

Nails  (ordinarily  about  40  Ib.  per  1000) 1.20 

Total  cost $37.20 

So  we  carry  out  the  price  on  the  14.8  M.  on  estimate  sheet  at 
this  price. 

While  the  process  just  described  is  the  most  accurate,  there  are 
other  methods  for  determining  the  amount  of  frame  that  are 
quicker,  and  the  results  are  close  enough  for  all  practical  pur- 
poses. 

If  the  plan  is  very  regular  and  there  is  considerable  uniformity 
in  lengths  of  timber,  I  advise  that  you  schedule  the  quantities  as 
we  have  just  done.  If,  however,  the  plan  is  irregular  and  there 
are  all  sorts  of  lengths  of  joists,  the  number  of  board  feet  can 
be  obtained  from  the  area  of  the  floor.  For  instance,  quite  a  part 
of  the  floor  is  of  2  x  12  in.  joists,  16  in.  on  centers,  and  the 
balance  of  2  x  10  in.  joists,  14  in.  on  centers.  Then  we  proceed 
in  this  manner :  On  a  scrap  of  paper  set  down  the  several  dimen- 
sions that  will  give  you  the  area  of  that  part  of  the  floor  that  is 
of  2  x  12  in.  joists,  thus: 

18  x  27  ft. 

17  x  43  ft.,  6  in. 

15  x  14  ft.,  6  in.; 

figured  out  they  equal  1443  sq.  ft.  Now,  if  these  2  x  12  in.  joists 
were  1  x  24  in.,  and  they  were  all  laid  down  flat,  they  would  not 
only  cover  the  16  in.  from  one  center  to  the  next,  but  lap  one- 
half  over  on  the  second  space,  thus,  as  the  1  x  24  in.  is  the  2  x  12 
in.  joist  changed  to  board  feet,  and  laid  flat  as  above,  they  cover 
the  whole  area  one  and  one-half  times,  so  one  and  one-half  times 
the  area  of  floor  occupied  by  these  joists,  or  2165  ft.,  is  the  num- 
ber of  feet  board  measure  (net)  of  lumber  required.  Now,  by 
adding  the  percentage  of  waste  you  have  arrived  at  a  sufficiently 
correct  result  with  less  trouble  than  by  scheduling.  By  the  same 
reasoning  any  size  or  spacing  of  joists  or  studding  can  be  figured 
into  the  number  of  feet  board  measure  of  stock  required  to  joist 


74  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

a  given  area.  Let  me  demonstrate  further  in  order  to  help  fix 
this  rule  in  your  mind. 

Take  an  area  of  962  sq.  ft.  of  flooring  having  2  x  10  in.  joists 
14  in.  on  centers;  2  x  10  in.  changed  to  board  measure  equals 
1  x  20  in.  joists,  thus  as  14  in.  is  to  20  in.,  so  is  962  sq.  ft.  to  the 
number  of  feet  board  measure  of  timber  in  the  floor.  Put  in  the 
form  of  the  examples  in  proportion  you  used  to  see  in  your  arith- 
metic, it  looks  as  follows : 

14 :  20  : :  962 :  answer ;  and  as  performed  by  the  rule  of  propor- 

20  x  962       19.240 
tion    looks    thus:  -  = — rj—  =  1374. -f  ;    expressed    in 

words,  it  is  as  follows :  as  to  every  14  in.  there  are  20  in.  of  lum- 
ber, then  the  relation  of  the  area  (962  sq.  ft.)  is  to  the  result  we 
seek  as  14  is  to  20,  as  14  is  seven-tenths  of  20,  then  962  ft.  is 
seven-tenths  of  the  number  of  board  feet.  Work  this  out  and 
you  will  find  the  result  to  be  1374  and  a  fraction,  as  shown  by 
the  example  in  simple  proportion. 

This  last  paragraph  is  somewhat  verbose,  but  I  want  the  less 
educated  of  the  readers  to  grasp  the  principle  upon  which  this 
method  of  figuring  is  based.  In  using  this  method  of  figuring, 
do  not  take  out  the  stair,  chimney  and  other  openings  unless 
they  are  very  large ;  even  then  they  should  not  be  taken  out  of 
their  full  size,  as  the  larger  joists  around  the  opening  usually 
offsets  the  difference  in  board  feet  that  would  be  saved  if  they 
were  figured  out.  In  figuring  a  first  floor  by  this  rule  the  girders 
should  be  added  to  the  result  obtained,  and  in  case  of  a  frame 
structure  the  sills  also. 

Figuring  Rafters 

This  method  is  by  far  the  quickest  and  most  accurate  by  which 
to  obtain  the  quantity  of  frame  in  pitch  roofs,  but  care  must  be 
taken  to  add  to  the  result  thus  obtained  from  the  area,  the  hips, 
valleys  and  ridges.  Any  roof  that  is  at  all  cut  up  with  hips, 
gables,  dormers,  etc.,  must  of  a  necessity  have  so  many  different 
lengths  of  rafters  that  the  scheduling  piece  by  piece  is  a  laborious 
job;  so  also  is  the  figuring  of  the  schedule  thus  obtained  into 
board  measure  laborious.  These  two  facts,  coupled  with  the  fact 
that  the  roof  framing  plan  does  not  show  the  rafters  at  their  cor- 


FRAME,  STUDDING  AND  FURRING  75 

rect  length,  makes  it  almost  folly  to  figure  the  amount  of  frame 
by  scheduling. 

When  we  get  to  the  subject  of  Boarding  I  will  go  into  partic- 
ulars about  obtaining  the  areas  of  roofs. 

Special  Framing 

Any  complicated  framing,  such  as  trusses,  etc.,  should  be  con- 
sidered separately,  and  the  price  must  be  worked  out  to  suit  the 
complexity  of  the  design.  In  case  the  building  you  are  figuring 
has  framing  of  this  character,  make  a  new  heading  on  your  esti- 
mate sheet,  such,  for  instance,  as  "Truss  Framing;"  now  set 
down  under  this  the  schedule  of  sizes  and  lengths  and  figure  out 
later.  The  labor  of  framing  and  erecting  trusses  often  runs 
from  $25  to  $75  per  1000  ft.  board  measure  of  stock. 

Next  time  you  have  a  job  with  one  or  more  trusses  to  build 
note  the  quantity  of  stock  and  keep  a  memoranda  of  the  labor 
required.  You  can  then  figure  out  a  labor  cost  per  1000  ft.  that 
will  guide  you  the  next  time  you  encounter  something  similar 
when  estimating.  Bear  in  mind,  also,  in  figuring  this  special 
framing,  that  in  most  cases  the  stock  will  cost  more  per  1000  on 
account  of  unusual  sizes  and  lengths,  the  elimination  of  certain 
defects  permissible  in  "merchantable"  lumber,  the  planing  of 
the  stock,  etc. 

If  you  have  ever  kept  any  account  of  the  labor  required  to 
install  studding  and  furring  in  a  building  you  doubtless  found 
that  the  cost  per  1000  ft.  was  several  times  that  of  other  framing. 
Inasmuch  as  there  is  so  great  a  difference  in  cost,  I  think  it  ad- 
visable to  treat  the  two  classes  of  frame  separately  on  nearly  all 
occasions.  Under  this  head  I  include  all  wall  framing,  including 
posts  and  girts,  all  stud  partitions,  rafters,  collar  beams  and 
hanging  ceilings  where  the  stock  used  is  smaller  than  2x6  in., 
strap  furring  on  ceilings,  brick  walls,  etc. 

All  of  the  above  quantities  are  readily  obtained  from  the  areas. 

Outside  Walls  of  Frame  Buildings 

We  will  begin  with  the  outside  walls  of  a  frame  building; 
usually  there  would  be  but  two  or  three  heights  of  plate.  Assume 
the  main  house,  two  stories  high,  with  20  ft.  posts  and  an  ell  one 


7ti  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

story  high  with  10  ft.  posts.  "We  begin  by  obtaining  the  girt  of 
the  main  house,  say  118  ft. ;  this  multiplied  by  the  height,  which 
is  20  ft.,  gives  us  the  area  of  the  outside  walls  of  the  main  house. 
Now  we  have  for  "outs"  the  windows,  doors,  and  the  place  where 
the  ell  adjoins  the  main  house.  As  the  door  and  window  open- 
ings are  of  no  great  size,  and  the  studs  around  them  are  usually 
heavier  than  the  rest,  we  take  no  notice  of  them.  Where  the  ell 
joins  the  main  house  is  probably  a  partition,  and  as  this  will  be 
taken  with  the  other  inside  partitions  later,  we  take  the  space 
out.  Call  this  space  18  x  10  ft.  Now  take  the  girt  of  the  ell, 
which  will  be  three  sides  of  it ;  call  it  58  ft. ;  then  the  area  of  the 
ell  walls  are  10  ft.  by  58  ft.  For  results  we  have : 

Sq.  ft. 

10  X  58  ft.  = 580 

20  X  H8  ft.  = 2,360 

2,940 
Less  10  X  18  ft.  = 180 

Total  net  area 2,760 

Except  for  the  posts  and  girts  and  around  window  and  door 
openings,  the  wall  is  probably  of  2  x  4  in.  studding  16  in.  on 
centers.  Now,  if  we  change  our  2  x  4  in.  studding  to  board 
measure  we  have  1  x  8  in.  Thus,  on  16  in.  spacing,  our  area  of 
walls  is  to  the  quantity  of  studding  as  16  in.  is  to  8  in.  As  16  in. 
is  twice  8  in.,  then  the  wall  area  (2760)  is  twice  the  number  of 
board  feet  in  the  walls.  But  this  does  not  compensate  for  the 
additional  frame  required  for  posts  and  girts.  We  have  allowed 
the  area  of  the  door  and  window  outs  to  compensate  for  the  in- 
creased size  of  studding  around  their  openings.  I  have  found 
from  experience  in  ordinary  frame  buildings,  with  4  x  8  in.  posts 
and  girts,  4  x  4  in.  plates  and  3  x  4  in.  studs  around  openings, 
the  area,  as  we  have  just  figured  it  out,  so  nearly  equals  the  num- 
ber of  board  feet  of  frame  in  the  walls,  plus  what  we  would 
naturally  add  for  waste,  that  if  you  assume  the  said  area  to  be 
the  number  of  feet  board  measure  you  are  sufficiently  correct. 
So  under  the  heading  of  ' '  Stud  and  Furring, ' '  on  your  estimate 
sheet  put  down  this  item  as  follows :  2760  sq.  ft.  outside  walls ; 
this  followed  by  your  other  items  of  studding  and  furring,  can 
be  carried  out  into  a  total  number  of  feet,  board  measure,  and  a 


FRAME,  STUDDING  AND  FURRING 


77 


price  put  on  same,  after  you  have  rolled  up  and  put  away  the 
plan. 


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FIG.  22~EsTiMATE  SHEET  No.  6 

Stud  Partitions 

In  measuring  the  plans  for  stud  partitions  follow  the  same 
method  that  I  have  used  in  the  case  of  the  brick  walls  in  the 
basement  and  the  terra  cotta  block  partitions.  The  chances  are 
that  the  partitions  will  be  of  2  x  3  in.  and  2  x  4  in.  studs  12  and 
16  in.  on  centers,  and  occurring  on  all  floors.  Take  the  floor  plan 
of  the  basement,  first  or  other  floor  that  you  are  going  to  measure 


78  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

and  begin  at  the  top  of  plan,  taking  all  partitions  of  2  x  4  in. 
studding  running  horizontally  as  you  look  at  the  plan  ;  then  take 
all  running  vertically,  following  this  by  taking  the  partitions 
that  run  in  other  than  these  two  directions.  On  a  scrap  of  paper 
set  down  the  total  running  feet  of  partitions;  now  refer  to  the 
sectional  plans  for  the  height.  Having  found  same,  perform  the 
multiplication,  and  the  result  will  be  the  square  feet  of  parti- 
tions, of  2  x  4  in.  studs,  for  this  story.  Next  take  the  partitions 
of  2  x  3  in.  studs  in  the  same  manner.  Continue  throughout  the 
entire  building  in  this  manner,  floor  by  floor,  performing  all  the 
multiplications  as  you  go.  When  this  is  done  and  they  are  all 
added  up  you  will  have  the  total  area  of  all  partitions  of  each 
size  of  studding.  Then  we  set  down  on  the  estimate  sheet  the 
resulting  areas  to  be  figured  into  board  feet  later.  You  will 
doubtless  note  the  fact  that  I  have  paid  no  attention  to  the  door 
openings  in  these  partitions.  As  the  studding  is  almost  invari- 
ably doubled  around  openings,  not  considering  them  will  com- 
pensate for  the  extra  studding  thus  required.  Using  the  area 
again  as  a  basis  from  which  to  figure,  the  three  items  of  studding 
I  have  entered  on  the  estimate  sheet  result  as  follows  :  2  x  4  in. 
studding  changed  to  board  measure  equals  1  x  8,  or  8  in.  of  stock 
to  every  1  ft.  of  partition  ;  as  an  example  in  proportion  expressed 

thus  :    12  :  8  :  2364  :  answer  ;  and  performed  thus,  —  ^-^     —  = 

1Z 

18  912 

—  —  —  —  1576.    Our  answer,  as  above,  is  1576  ft.  board  measure. 


8  V  1  794-     1 

The  next  item  figures  as  follows:       *     '^=  =  862  ft. 

ID  16 

6  V  844        5064 

board  measure.    The  third  item  as  follows  :  —  ^-  -  =  —  —  -  — 

16  16 

316J  ft.  board  measure.  The  number  of  feet  board  measure  for 
the  three  items  of  studding  that  we  have  figured  out  above  are 
"net,"  and  to  them  we  must  add  a  certain  percentage  of  waste. 
There  is  no  item  of  stock  that  goes  into  a  building  upon  which 
there  is  as  much  waste  as  studding.  Not  one  man  in  20,  in  or- 
dering studding,  gets  enough  to  do  the  job  once  in  five  times. 
Figuring  studding  as  above,  one-fourth,  or  25  per  cent.,  will 
cover  the  waste,  if  the  pieces  are  used  up  as  they  should  be. 


FRAME,  STUDDING  AND  FURRING  79 

Furring 

In  figuring  the  quantity  of  furring,  work  from  the  areas  to  be 
furred,  determining  number  of  board  feet  by  proportion.  In 
taking  areas  from  the  plan,  work  as  follows:  Take  the  first-floor 
plan  (or  basement  plan  if  there  is  any  ceiling  or  wall  furring  re- 
quired there)  and  obtain  the  area  of  same  inside  of  walls.  Of 
course  the  ceiling  is  of  the  same  area  as  floor,  thus  in  the  floor 
area  you  have  the  ceiling  area.  Now,  if  any  brick  or  stone  walls 
are  furred,  obtain  running  feet  of  these  walls  and  multiply  by 
the  height  of  the  story.  These  two  results  added  give  you  the 
total  area  to  be  furred  in  this  story.  In  this  manner  continue 
throughout  the  entire  building,  adding  all  the  areas  thus  ob- 
tained together  and  setting  down  the  result  on  your  estimate 
sheet  as  I  have  done.  Now,  using  the  rule  of  proportion  again, 
taking  the  first  item  of  furring  to  demonstrate  same,  we  work  out 

,  -  2  X  11,232      22,464 

the  board  feet  as  follows  :      ^      '  -  =  -        -  =  1404  ft.  (net)  . 

ID  ID 

In  the  same  manner  you  can  figure  the  number  of  board  feet, 
no  matter  what  the  width,  thickness  or  spacing  of  the  furring  is. 

Hanging  Ceiling 

Frequently  the  framework  of  a  ceiling,  where  there  is  no  attic, 
is  of  light  members  hung  from  the  rafters  or  roof  joists  ;  in  such 
cases  obtain  the  area  of  the  ceiling  from  the  upper  floor  plan 
and  use  the  rule  of  proportion  to  find  the  quantity  of  stock  in 
board  feet.  Thus,  referring  to  the  estimate  sheet,  we  assume  a 
ceiling  of  1  x  6  in.  rough  spruce,  20  in.  on  centers,  of  3104  sq.  ft. 
area.  This  is  expressed  and  performed  by  proportion,  as  follows  : 


20:  6  ::  3104:  ans.,  =  =  =  931.  +  ft.  board 

£\J  ^i(j 

measure.* 

The  stock  with  which  to  hang  the  ceiling  frame  to  the  rafters 
or  joists  is  usually  refuse  picked  up  around  the  building,  and 
your  estimate  will  be  sufficiently  accurate  if  you  do  not  consider 
same  at  all. 

*  All  of  these  examples  in  proportion  may  be  simplified  in  figuring  by 
cancellation,  but  to  avoid  confusion  I  have  worked  them  out  with  the  whole 
figures. 


SO  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Bridging 

If  the  floor  joists  are  cross  bridged  in  the  center  of  the  span, 
proceed  as  follows :  Beginning  with  the  first-floor  framing  plan, 
scale  each  stretch  of  bridging,  setting  down  on  a  scrap  of  paper ; 
in  this  way  go  through  the  entire  plan  and  add  for  the  total 
length.  Assume  the  bridging  to  be  1  x  3  in.  and  the  length 
measured  on  plans  to  be  964  ft.  The  diagonal  distance  between 
timbers  (from  the  top  edge  of  one  to  the  bottom  edge  of  the 
next  joist)  is  near  enough  to  one  and  one-half  times  the  straight 
length  to  always  call  it  so.  As  the  two  pieces  of  1  x  3  in.  equal 
a  1  x  6  in.,  we  have  one-half  of  one  board  foot  for  each  extended 
linear  foot  of  bridging.  Add  to  964  ft.  482,  or  one-half  itself, 
to  give  us  the  extended  or  diagonal  length  of  the  bridging,  and 
we  have  1446  ft.  As  there  is  \  ft.  board  measure  of  each  foot 
in  length  of  bridging,  thus  one-half  of  1446,  or  723  ft.,  is  the 
number  of  feet,  board  measure  (net),  of  stock  required. 

As  rough  spruce,  furring,  bridging  stock,  etc.,  frequently  gets 
put  to  a  good  many  uses,  such  as  staying,  bracing,  staging,  etc., 
before  being  used  where  intended,  25  per  cent.,  or  one-fourth,  is 
little  enough  waste  to  allow  over  the  net  survey.  As  the  number 
of  board  feet  in  all  of  the,  items  under  the  head  of  studding  and 
furring  is  6875  ft.,  net,  and  plus  one-fourth  for  waste  makes 
8594  ft.,  we  will  call  the  quantity  8600  ft,  or  eight  and  six- 
tenths  thousands,  expressed  decimally  8.6. 

The  average  cost  of  labor  on  these  parts  of  a  building,  with 
carpenters'  wages  at  41  cents  per  hour,  should  be  right  around 
$20  per  1000  ft.  The  quantity  of  nails  per  1000  ft.  of  stock  will 
be  about  double  that  required  for  frame.  Thus  we  work  out  a 
price  as  follows : 

Stock  per  1000,  delivered $26.00 

Nails    2.00 

Labor  (average)   19.00 

Total  cost  installed $47.00 


CHAPTER  XV 

Boarding  and  Measuring  Roof  Surfaces 

As  there  is  quite  a  difference  in  labor  between  square  edged 
and  matched  boards,  that  may  be  used  for  wall  and  roofing  cover- 
ing and  under  floors,  I  think  it  is  advisable  to  survey  and  keep 
quantities  separate.  Square  edged  boards  are  usually  used  for 
under  floors,  pitch  roofs  and  wall  covering.  Obtaining  the  areas 
of  floors  and  walls  has  been  sufficiently  explained  under  other 
headings,  consequently  I  shall  not  go  into  the  matter  here.  How- 
ever, not  having  explained  the  method  of  obtaining  pitch  roof 


;  7 

'--* ---  ' 


--9'6---*f* 
FIG.  23— PLAN  OF  ROOF 

areas,  I  will  endeavor  to  do  so  now.  With  most  plans  there  is  a 
drawing  of  the  roof  showing  all  ridges,  hips  and  valleys.  Where 
there  is  no  such  drawing  the  lines  of  the  roof  are  sometimes  in- 
dicated by  dotted  lines  on  the  attic  floor  plan.  Not  infrequently 
the  roof  is  shown  in  no  other  way  than  by  the  elevations.  In 
case  the  roof  is  shown  by  either"  of  the  first  two  methods,  you 
must  refer  to  the  elevations  for  part  of  the  dimensions.  In  order 
to  make  matters  as  clear  as  possible,  I  will  demonstrate  by  a  few 
drawings. 

81 


82 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


In  Fig.  23  we  have  a  roof  plan.  I  am  paying  no  attention  to 
architecture  in  this  plan ;  simply  drawing  a  roof  that  has  hips, 
valleys  and  dormers  in  order  to  illustrate  all  ordinary  roof 
forms.  Figs.  24,  25,  26  and  27  are  the  four  elevations  and  are  of 


FIG.  24 — SIDE  ELEVATION 


the  correspondingly  numbered  sides  as  Fig.  23.  We  will  begin  by 
obtaining  the  area  of  the  section  of  roof  marked  A  in  Fig.  23. 
By  scaling  the  ridge  we  get  32  ft.  6  in.,  and  by  scaling  the  roof 
at  gutter  line,  paying  no  attention  to  the  wing  that  projects  2  ft. 


FIG.  25 — SIDE  ELEVATION 


on  this  side,  we  get  45  ft.  Now,  by  referring  to  the  elevation  of 
the  front,  Fig.  26,  we  obtain  the  length  of  the  rafter,  which  is 
17  ft.  9  in.  This  section  of  the  roof,  as  developed  in  Fig.  29,  is 
called  a  trapezoid.  We  will  now  obtain  the  area,  for  the  time 
being  paying  no  attention  to  the  gap  made  by  the  roof  over  the 
projection  of  2  ft.  As  the  length  of  roof  is  32  ft.  6  in.  at  the 


BOARDING  AND  MEASURING  ROOF  SURFACES 


83 


ridge  and  45  ft.  at  the  gutter  line,  we  next  obtain  the  average 
width.  This  is  done  by  adding  both  of  the  above  dimensions  to- 
gether and  dividing  by  2.  We  find  this  to  be  38  ft.  9  in.  Thus 
this  section  of  roof  measures  17  ft.  9  in.  by  38  ft.  9  in.,  making 
the  area  688  sq.  ft.  Now,  out  of  this  area  we  take  the  triangle 
covered  by  the  roof  of  the  projecting  wing.  Refer  to  either  Fig. 


FIGS.  26  AND  27— END  ELEVATIONS  OF  THE  BUILDING 

23  or  24  and  scale  the  distance  across  the  projection  where  it  in- 
tersects the  main  roof  at  the  gutter  line.  We  find  this  to  be  19  ft. 
Refer  to  Fig.  26  and  scale  the  distance  from  gutter  line  to  the 
intersection  of  the  ridge  of  projecting  roof  with  main  roof,  which 
we  find  to  be  13  ft.  6  in.  Thus  we  have  a  triangle,  the  base  of 
which  is  19  ft.  and  the  altitude  13  ft.  6  in.  To  obtain  the  area 
of  a  triangle  we  multiply  the  altitude  (13  ft.  6  in.)  by  one-half 
of  the  base  (9  ft.  6  in.),  which  gives  an  area  of  128+  sq.  ft. 
By  subtracting  this  last  area  from  the  688  sq.  ft.  we  have  the  net 
area  of  this  side  of  the  roof,  which  is  560  sq.  ft. 


84 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


In  order  that  the  reader  may  understand  the  theory  of  com- 
puting the  area  of  triangles  picture  in  your  mind  a  triangle  such 
as  the  one  we  have  just  figured  out,  or  the  one  shown  in  Fig.  28, 
which  is  a  developed  plan  of  the  rear  section  of  roof  E.  If  you 
were  to  cut  this  triangle  in  two,  as  shown  by  the  dotted  line  in 
Fig.  28,  and  took  the  half  marked  X  and  turned  it  around  so 
that  it  occupied  the  space  marked  X',  you  would  have  a  rectangle, 
one  dimension  of  which  would  be  the  altitude  and  the  other  one- 
half  of  the  base  of  the  triangle.  The  same  principle  applies 
when  we  obtain  the  average  length  of  the  roof  section  shown  in 
Fig.  29.  Here  the  space  X,  if  cut  off,  turned  around,  and  made 
to  occupy  the  space  marked  X', 
forms  a  rectangle,  the  length  of 
which  is  obtained  on  the  line  a. 
See  Figs.  25,  29  and  30.  Of 
course,  in  actual  practice,  you 
would  not  lay  out  a  developed 
plan  of  the  various  sides  of  the 
roof,  as  it  consumes  unnecessary 
time.  The  way  I  should  proceed 
to  obtain  the  area  of  this  side 
of  the  roof  would  be  as  follows : 
If  the  plans  are  not  too  large, 
spread  the  four  elevations  out  on  the  table  so  that  you  can  see 
them  all  at  once  and  reach  them  with  your  rule  to  scale  lengths. 
We  will  take  for  this  illustration  the  side  of  the  roof  marked  B 
in  Fig.  23.  Either  on  the  roof  plan,  Fig.  23,  or  the  side  elevation, 
Fig.  25,  scale  with  the  rule  the  distance  from  gutter  line  to  ridge. 
The  number  of  feet  you  read  mentally,  at  once ;  half  this  number 
of  feet  mentally  before  lifting  your  rule  and  place  the  point  of 
your  pencil  at  the  middle  of  the  distance ;  now  holding  the  pencil 
where  you  placed  it  a  moment,  turn  your  rule  around,  let  the 
side  of  it  from  which  you  are  reading  touch  the  pencil  point  and 
lay  approximately  parallel  with  the  gutter  or  ridge  lines,  as 
drawn  on  plan.  Having  done  this  read  immediately  the  distance 
from  the  right  angled  or  rake  end  of  the  roof  to  the  point  on 
hip  where  the  rule  crosses  it.  The  whole  operation  is  but  the 
work  of  a  moment,  and  we  have  obtained  the  average  length  of 


FIG.  28 — DEVELOPED  PLAN  OF  RE  AH 
SECTION  OF  ROOF  E 


BOARDING  AND  MEASURING  ROOF  SURFACES 


85 


this  section  of  the  roof.  We  will  not  bother  with  inches  and  will 
call  the  length  thus  obtained  39  ft.  Now,  refer  to  the  front  eleva- 
tion, Fig.  26,  and  scale  the  length  of  the  rafter,  which,  in  round 
numbers,  is  18  feet— again  ignoring  the  inches— and  we  have 
obtained  both  dimensions  of  the  piece  of  roof,  B,  and  can  com- 
pute the  area.  Thus  we  have  18  X  39  ft-  =  =  702  sq.  ft. 

Out  of  this  we  must  take  the  area  occupied  by  the  walls  and 
roof  of  the  dormer  window.  Refer  again  to  side  elevation,  Fig. 
25  scaling  width  of  dormer ;  note  mentally  6  ft. ;  then  refer  to  the 


L — 45- 


FIG.  29 — DEVELOPED  SECTION  OF  ROOF 

front  elevation,  Fig.  26 ;  scale  from  the  intersection  of  the  front 
wall  of  dormer  with  main  roof  to  the  average  or  center  of  the 
dormer  roof,  as  seen  in  the  elevation  D,  Fig.  26 ;  read  10  ft.  and 
mentally  calculate  the  area  6  x  10  ft.  —  60  sq.  ft.  Subtract  the 
latter  number  of  square  feet  from  702  sq.  ft.  and  we  have  642 
sq.  ft.  as  the  area.  Thus  we  see  the  whole  operation  is  done  in  a 
minute's  time,  making  no  drawings,  half  the  calculations  being 
done  mentally  while  shifting  the  rule  from  scaling  one  dimension 
to  another,  and  a  result  thus  obtained  is  sufficiently  accurate  for 
all  practical  purposes. 

Proceed  in  the  same  manner  to  get  the  area  of  the  roof  of  small 
dormer  on  this  side  of  the  main  roof.  First  refer  to  the  side 
elevation,  Fig.  25.  Scale  rafter  and  read  5  ft. ;  now  refer  to  either 
of  the  end  elevations,  Figs.  26  or  27,  or  to  the  roof  plan,  Fig.  23, 
and  scale  the  section  of  roof  marked  D  across  the  center  (that  is, 
half  way  between  the  dormer  cornice  and  ridge  line),  and  read 


86 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


8  ft.,  the  inches  again  being  left  out  of  consideration.  Thus  one 
side  of  this  roof  is  5  x  8  ft.,  equaling  40  sq.  ft.,  which  multiplied 
by  2  gives  the  area  of  both  sides  of  the  dormer  roof.  Fig.  32  is  a 
developed  plan  of  one  side  of  this  dormer  roof;  the  dotted  line 
across  it  shows  where  to  get  the  average  length. 

In  carrying  the  survey  of  the  roof  to  the  estimate  sheet  you 
may,  if  in  a  hurry  to  get  through  with  the  plan,  set  down  the 
dimensions  and  "outs"  thus: 

17'  9"  x  38'  9"  x  2  (times)  Outs. 

5'  x  T  9"  x  2  (times)  9'  6"  x  13'  6" 

6'  9"  x  13'  6"  x  2  (times)  6'      x  10' 

12'  6"  x  17'  9" 

1669  sq.  ft.  (net  area). 


FIG.  30 — OBTAINING  LENGTH  OF  ROOF  SECTION 

As  it  usually  takes  but  three  or  four  minutes  to  figure  the  area 
of  the  average  roof,  I  think  it  better  to  make  the  calculations  on 
a  scrap  of  paper  and  then  carry  to  the  estimate  sheet  the  net  roof 
area,  as  follows:  1669  sq.  ft.  (net  roof  area),  add  to  this,  if  the 
item  is  going  on  to  the  estimate  sheet  under  the  head  of  frame, 
the  size  and  spacing  of  rafters,  thus:  1669  sq.  ft.  (net  roof  area) 
2  x  8  in.— 20  in.  o.  c.  Having  the  information  on  your  estimate 
sheet  as  last  shown,  you  can  figure  the  amount  of  frame  by  pro- 
portion, as  previously  explained,  and  your  area  for  boards,  and 
shingles  or  slates,  is  right  before  you.  Do  not  think,  because  I  put 
down  the  areas  accurately,  not  eliminating  the  odd  inches,  and 
figure  out  the  result  decimally,  that  I  would  do  this  myself  in 
actual  practice,  or  expect  you  to  do  it.  I  do  it  here  because  I  do 
not  want  my  mathematics  criticised,  and  in  order  to  carry  out  an 


BOARDING  AND  MEASURING  ROOF  SURFACES 


87 


exact  result  of  the  area,' as  shown  by  the  plans  and  elevations 
above  referred  to.  It  also  shows  to  what  accuracy  you  can  go, 
and  withooit  much  trouble,  if  there  is  any  reason  for  so  doing. 
The  time  to  make  this  roof  survey  is  when  you  have  reached 
it,  surveying  under  the  head  of  * '  frame. "  As  I  explained  under 
that  heading,  it  is  necessary  in  computing  the  feet,  board  meas- 
ure, of  the  frame  in  a  roof,  that  there  should  be  added  to  the 
result  obtained  from  the  area  the  schedule,  or  feet  board  measure, 
of  the  hips,  valleys,  ridges,  etc.  I  will  now  endeavor  to  show  you 
how  to  obtain  sufficiently  accurate  lengths  of  these  members.  In 
doing  so  I  will  use  Fig.  23  of  the  diagrams.  The  lines  which  rep- 
resent the  hips  and  valleys  on  this  plan  are  the  bases  of  right 
angled  triangles,  of  which  triangles  the  rise  of  the  roof  is  the 
altitude  and  the  hip  or  valley  rafter  the  hypothenuse.  Now  if 


-_jk- 


FIG.  31 — DEVELOPED  PLAN  OF 
ONE  SIDE  OF  DORMER  ROOF 


FIG.  32 — DEVELOPED  PLAN  OF 
ONE  SIDE  OF  DORMER  ROOF 


we  scale  the  length  of  the  hip  or  valley  as  indicated  on  the  plan 
of  the  roof,  Fig.  23  from  &  to  c,  we  have  the  length  of  the  base 
of  the  triangles,  after  which  refer  to  an  elevation  (in  this  case 
either  Fig.  24,  26  or  27)  and  scale  the  height,  or  rise,  of  main 
roof,  and  the  lower  roof  covered  by  the  sections  marked  C.  The 
results  in  this  case  are  the  altitudes  of  the  triangles.  Having  the 
lengths  of  any  two  sides  of  a  right  angled  triangle,  the  third  can 
be  obtained  by  a  process  in  arithmetic.  However,  as  this  involves 
figuring  in  square  root,  and  all  you  want  is  an  approximately 
correct  length  of  the  hip  or  valley  upon  which  to  base  an  esti- 
mate, it  may  be  quickly  laid  out  and  the  required  length  obtained 
on  the  roof  plan,  Fig.  23.  As  the  two  hips  on  this  plan  are  at 
right  angles  to  one  another,  let  one  of  the  hips  represent  the  base 
of  the  triangle  as  from  &  to  c.  As  you  have  scaled  the  rise  of 


88  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

the  main  roof  and  found  it  to  be  12  ft.  6  in.,  scale  from  c  along 
the  other  hip  12  ft.  6  in.,  and  make  a  dot  with  the  pencil  at  this 
point  (d)  ;  now  turn  your  rule  around  and  scale  from  &  to  d,  as 
indicated  by  the  dotted  line,  and  the  distance  as  read  from  the 
rule  will  be  the  length  of  the  hip  or  the  remaining  side  of  the 
triangle  called  the  hypothenuse.  The  same  process  applied  to  the 
valley,  where  the  rise  of  roof  is  9  ft.  6  in.,  the  scale  distance  on 
the  dotted  line  from  b  to  d  gives  the  length  of  the  short  valley. 
In  the  case  of  this  roof  the  length  of  the  long  valley,  which  runs 
to  the  ridge,  would  be  the  same  as  .the  hip. 

In  the  case  of  roofs  of  different  pitches  intersecting,  the  lines 
on  the  plans  indicating  the  valleys  would  not  show  at  right  angles 
to  one  another.  In  such  cases  assume  the  line  representing  one 
valley  to  be  the  base  of  the  triangle  and  lay  off  at  right  angles 
to  this  by  your  eye  the  rise  of  the  roof,  for  the  altitude  of  the 
triangle,  making  at  the  point  thus  obtained  a  dot  with  your  pen- 
cil. Now  scale  the  uncompleted  side  or  hypothenuse  of  the  triangle 
thus  laid  out,  and  you  have  the  length  of  the  valley.  All  hip  and 
valley  rafter  lengths  may  be  obtained  from  the  plans  in  this  way 
and  set  down  piece  by  piece  in  your  "frame"  schedule,  to  be 
figured  into  board  measure  later.  The  lengths  of  the  ridges  may 
be  scaled  directly  from  the  roof  plan,  Fig.  23,  or  from  the  eleva- 
tions, Figs.  24, 25, 26  and  27,  as  their  true  lengths  are  shown  in  each. 

You  will  probably  notice  that  in  figuring  out  the  wall  area  of 
a  typical  frame  house  I  did  not  include  the  gables.  All  gables 
being  triangles,  or  in  the  case  of  Gambrel  roofs  a  trapezoid  sur- 
mounted by  a  triangle,  I  purposely  delayed  touching  on  the  sub- 
ject until  after  I  had  demonstrated  by  the  drawings  of  a  roof 
how  to  obtain  areas  of  irregular  shaped  planes.  In  actual  prac- 
tice the  gable  areas  should  be  taken  off  at  the  time  of  surveying 
the  walls  of  the  building,  the  total  area  being  entered  on  the 
estimate  sheet  under  the  head  of  "studding."  This  item  of  stud- 
ding should  be  noted  "outside  walls,"  so  that  it  is  distinguish- 
able from  the  partition  areas,  thus  making  it  possible  to  look 
back  for  area  when  figuring  boarding  and  clapboards,  or  other 
wall  covering.  Sometimes  under  floors,  and  even  walls,  are 
boarded  diagonally.  This  increases  the  waste  somewhat,  and  in 
most  cases  about  doubles  the  labor.  When  the  above  is  the  case, 
make  a  separate  item  and  figure  out  the  probable  cost  at  which 


BOARDING  AND  MEASURING  ROOF  SURFACES  89 

to  carry  out  your  price.  I  usually  make  a  few  diagonal  lines 
after  the  heading  of  the  item  covering  this  part  of  the  boarding 
to  distinguish  it  from  ordinary  boarding,  thus:  '*  J-in.  square  (or 
ni'tch'd)  spruce  ////." 

Matched  boards  are  always  used  under  slate,  metal  or  com- 
position roofs  and  often  for  wall  boarding.  Theoretically  there 
is  more  waste  on  matched  than  square  boards,  as  the  loss  in 
milling  and  matching  is  surveyed  in  when  boards  are  marketed. 
In  actual  practice,  unless  the  boards  are  very  narrow,  say  less 
than  5J  in.  face,  the  waste  would  not  be  any  more  than  on  square 
boards  used  in  the  same  place.  The  principal  reasons  for  this 
are  that  the  matched  boards  are  usually  of  sounder  stock,  more 
uniform  in  widths  and  lengths,  and  they  are  handled  and  cut 
with  a  little  more  care.  If  laid  at  right  angles  with  the  nailings 
25  per  cent,  is  ample  waste  allowance,  and  if  laid  diagonally 
33  1-3  per  cent,  is  sufficient. 

With  carpenters'  wages  at  41  cents  per  hour,  an  ordinary  job 
of  square  boards  should  cost  to  lay  from  $5  to  $7  per  1000  ft. 
board  measure.  Matched  boards  should  cost  from  $8  to  $10  per 
1000  ft.  If  either  of  the  above  are  laid  diagonally  the  labor 
would  be  nearly  double.  In  case  of  very  small  jobs  considerably 
cut  up  the  cost  would  be  somewhat  more  than  the  maximum  price 
quoted  above.  If  the  building  was  of  large,  unbroken  areas, 
the  cost  .should  be  somewhat  less  than  the  minimum  prices 
quoted.  The  work  upon  which  one  is  engaged  must  be 
watched  to  see  what  the  costs  are,  and  then  there  is  established 
a  basis  upon  which  to  work,  in  arriving  at  the  probable  cost  of 
work  upon  which  the  estimate  is  being  made. 

Forty  pounds  of  nails  are  usually  sufficient  to  nail  1000  ft.  of 
boards,  with  studs  or  joists  about  16"  o.  c. 

Plank  Floors 

It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that  if  your  floors  were  of  plank 
you  would  proceed  to  obtain  areas  as  for  boards,  not  forgetting 
to  multiply  your  net  areas  by  the  thickness  of  plank  before  add- 
ing waste.  The  labor  per  1000  ft.  board  measure  would  be 
somewhat  less  than  for  1-in.  stock,  as  the  time  consumed  to  lay  a 
plank  of  a  given  size,  2  in.  thickness,  is  not  double  that  of  a 
board  of  same  size. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
Shingles,  Clapboards  and  Outside  Finish 

When  you  have  reached  this  item  in  the  specifications  and  en- 
tered it  upon  the  estimate  sheet,  look  back  under  ' '  frame, ' '  Fig. 
22,  and  see  what  the  roof  area  was.  Now,  knowing  what  1000 
shingles  will  lay  at  various  distances  to  the  weather,  divide  the 
area  by  this  amount  to  obtain  the  number  of  thousands.  Next 
size  up  the  roof  and  determine  the  number  of  shingles  a  man 
should  lay  in  a  day  and  compute  from  this  the  labor  cost  per 
1000.  With  your  rule  scale  the  lengths  of  valleys,  dormer  cheeks 
and  any  other  places  requiring  flashings,  and  compute  the  num- 
ber of  square  feet  of  zinc,  tin  .or  copper  required.  This  settled, 
divide  the  number  of  square  feet  of  flashings  by  the  number  of 
thousands  of  shingles,  and  thus  obtain  the  number  of  feet  per 
1000  shingles.  Having  obtained  all  of  the  above,  not  forgetting 
nails,  though  not  mentioned,  tabulate,  and  you  have  the  cost  per 
1000  laid  complete,  thus: 

Extra  cedar  shingles  per  thousand  (delivered) $4.50 

5  Ib.  nails 20 

10  sq.  ft.  9-oz.  zinc,  7  cents 70 

Labor   ( 2000  per  day  average  cut  up  roof) 1.64 

Cost  per  1000  laid $7.04 

Wall  shingling  would  be  worked  out  in  the  same  manner  as 
above,  the  quality  of  the  shingles  and  nature  of  the  walls  to  a 
great  extent  affecting  the  price. 

Clapboards 

In  this  market  clapboards  are  sold  by  the  1000  pieces,  4  ft. 
long.  Thus,  if  they  are  laid  4  in.  to  the  weather,  one  clapboard 
will  cover  1^  sq.  ft.  Refer  to  the  item  of  "studding  and  fur- 
ring" on  estimate  sheet  No.  6,  Fig.  22,  for  the  outside  wall  area. 
You  will  remember  that  in  taking  the  wall  area  we  did  not  figure 
out  the  windows  and  doors,  so  with  the  four  elevations  within 
easy  reach  scale  and  figure  out  the  area  of  these  openings.  In  do- 
ing* this,  work  in  even  feet,  not  bothering  with  inches.  For 

90 


SHINGLES,  CLAPBOARDS  AND  OUTSIDE  FINISH  91 

instance,  if  an  opening  scaled  3  ft.  6  in.  x  5  ft.  9  in.,  calculate 
mentally  3  x  6  ft.  =  18  sq.  ft.  Set  this  down  on  a  scrap  of  paper, 
noting  the  number  of  such  openings.  Continue  in  this  way 
throughout  the  elevations;  then  note  any  other  "outs,"  such  as 
the  parts  of  wall  that  are  covered  by  piazzas,  wide  belts,  cornices, 
etc.  Obtain  and  total  all  of  above  "outs"  and  subtract  from  the 
total  Avail  area,  thus  getting  the  net  surface  o  be  clapboarded. 
This  divided  by  the  number  of  feet  one  (or  1000)  clapboards  will 
cover,  at  the  distance  they  are  laid  to  the  weather,  gives  the  total 
number  of  clapboards. 

Usually  the  clapboards  are  laid  over  some  specified  brand  of 
sheathing  paper.  Proceed,  as  in  the  case  of  the  shingles,  to  work 
out  a  price  per  1000  clapboards  laid  on  wall,  including  paper, 
nails,  etc. 

1000  clear  spruce  clapboards  (delivered) $45.00 

Waste  per  1000,  5  per  cent 2.25 

Paper   ( 1000  sq.  ft.  net,  plus  10  per  cent,  waste) ,  1100  ft 5.50 

Nails,  4  Ib 14 

Labor  (average  about  $20  per  1000) 20.00 

$72.89 

Coining,  as  it  does,  so  near  to  $73  per  1000  laid,  carry  out  the 
price  at  the  even  dollar  amount. 

Outside  Finish 

Under  this  heading  we  have  cornices,  rakes,  belt  courses,  balus- 
trades, columns,  pilasters,  window  caps,  corner  boards,  saddle 
boards,  water  tables,  brackets  and  so  on,  almost  indefinitely.  In 
some  cases  you  can  group  several  of  these  items  under  one  sub- 
heading and  figure  at  the  same  price  per  foot,  thus  saving  time 
and  condensing  the  matter  on  the  estimate  sheets.  I  find  that  in 
nearly  all  cases  it  is  safer  to  figure  the  price  per  "unit"  com- 
plete in  place  on  the  building.  Let  us  consider  each  of  the  sub- 
divisions of  outside  finish  separately. 

Cornices 

If  there  are  several  types  of  cornice,  differing  greatly  in  the 
quantity  of  stock  and  labor  to  construct  each,  make  several  head- 
ings, such,  for  instance,  as  main  cornice,  piazza  cornice,  dormer 


02  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

cornice  or  rakes.  Under  each  heading  put  down  the  number  of 
feet  in  length  of  the  cornice,  with  the  additional  data  of  the 
number  of  inches  of  plain  stock  and  the  number  of  inches  of 
moulding,  size  and  spacing  of  modillions,  dentils,  etc.  In  speak- 
ing of  inches  above,  I  mean  board  measure  inches — (1  x  1  in.  x 
1  ft.).  It  is  possible  that  somewhere  on  the  plans  there  will  be 

3  in.  or  1  in.  scale  drawings  of  the  principal  parts  of  the  outside 
finish,  in  which  case  you  can  scale  quite  accurately  the  various 
members  of  cornices,  etc.    In  case  there  is  nothing  but  the  small 
scale  drawings,  you  must  be  guided  as  much  by  judgment  as 
by  the  plans  in  figuring  out  the  inches  of  stock.    Let  us  assume 
an  ordinary  cornice  with  wood  gutter,  brackets  and  other  usual 
parts  for  the  purpose  of  demonstration :  Take  the  plain  parts 
first,  facia  over  gutter  4  in.,  facia  under  gutter  4  in.,  plancier  12 
in.,  frieze,  two  members,  one  8  in.  and  one  12  in.,  all  J  in.  thick, 
these  making  a  total  of  40  in.  of  stock  per  running  foot  of  cor- 
nice.   Now  take  the  mouldings :  Gutter  4  in.  x  5  in.  =  20  in. ; 
gutter  fillet,  f  in.  J  in.  =  1  in. ;  bed  moulding,  f  in.  x  3  in.  =  3 
in. ;  frieze  mouldings,  one  J  in.  x  2  in.  and  one  1J  in.  x  3  in.,  both 
equaling  8  in.,  these  making  a  total  of  32  in.  of  moulding  per 
running  foot  of  cornice. 

Next  the  brackets,  say  3  in.  thick,  12  in.  long  and  8  in.  deep, 
18  in.  on  centers,  with  face  band  sawed  to  pattern. 
Now  let  us  compile  the  results : 

Sq.  ft. 
40  in.  of  %  in.  stock  -j-  1/10  waste  =  44  in.  =  3^  ft.  B.  M.,  at  8  cents 

per  foot $0.30 

32  in.  of  moulding  +  %  waste  =  36  in.  moulding,  at  1  cent  per  inch 

( less  discount  if  any) 30 

Bracket  3  x  8  x  12  in.  =  2  ft.  B.  M.  stock,  -f  y4  waste  =  Zy2  ft.  stock, 
at  8  cents  per  foot,  -j-  planing  and  sawing  (say  7  cents)  =  27 
cents  each  ( 18  in.  o.  c.  —  y$  bracket  per  foot) .18 

Cost  per  foot  of  stock $0.84 

We  have  now  worked  out  everything  but  the  labor.  I  find  that 
the  best  way  to  arrive  at  the  cost  per  foot  for  labor  is  to  look 
at  the  elevations,  pick  out  a  stretch  of  cornice  shown  on  one  of 
them,  and  then  try  and  picture  yourself  with  a  good  man  (car- 
penters usually  work  in  pairs  on  such  work)  putting  on  this 
particular  piece  of  cornice.  In  doing  this  don't  forget  that  you 


SHINGLES,  CLAPBOARDS  AND  OUTSIDE  FINISH  93 

have  got  to  build  a  stage;  line,  cut  and  fur  the  rafter  ends,  and 
pick  out  and  get  on  to  the  stage  the  boards  and  mouldings.  Sup- 
pose this  piece  of  cornice  to  be  30  ft.  long,  and  you  conclude  that 
with  one  man's  help  you  could  do  all  of  the  above  preliminary 
work  and  construct  the  cornice  in  a  day  (8  hr.).  With  wages 
at  41  cents  per  hour,  this  means  16  hr.  at  41  cents  =  $6.56  -^- 
30  =  $0.22  per  foot.  This  represents  what  you  could  do  your- 
self. Did  you  ever  hire  a  man  that  could,  or  would,  do  as  much 
work  for  you  as  you  can  do  for  yourself  ? 

The  pine  and  mouldings  have  also  got  to  be  taken  from  a  team 
outside  the  building  and  carried  in  and  piled  up  until  used. 
The  cornice  is  going  to  require  a  few  nails,  some  elastic  cement, 
sheet  lead,  etc. ;  hardly  enough  per  foot  of  these  latter  to  make 
an  item  under  ' '  stock, ' '  which  we  figured  out  above ;  at  the  same 
time,  on  the  whole  cornice,  they  will  cost  a  few  dollars.  Con- 
sidering all  these  things,  probably  33  or  34  cents  per  foot  will  be 
nearer  the  actual  cost  per  foot  for  labor  and  sundries  than  22 
cents. 

I  have  made  it  a  rule  to  increase  by  one-half  the  labor  on  any 
given  piece  of  work  after  having  figured  out  what  I  thought  I 
could  do  it  for  myself,  assuming  this  increase  to  cover  the  items 
of  stock  too  trivial  to  figure  out  at  so  much  per  foot  (or  unit), 
and  the  lost  labor  that  goes  into  every  job  and  must  be  provided 
for:  I  might  also  add  that  in  actual  practice  this  rule  gives 
nearer  the  correct  average  costs  than  any  other  that  I  have  used. 

Having  figured  (or  reasoned)  out  the  probable  cost  per  foot 
of  labor  and  sundries  on  the  cornice,  we  can  complete  the  price 
thus: 

Stock  per  foot  of  cornice $0.84 

Labor  and  sundries  .33 


Total  cost  per  foot $1.17 

So  on  the  estimate  sheet  under  the  head  of  "Main  Cornice," 
described  and  number  of  feet  set  down,  we  carry  out  the  cost  at 
$238.68,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6. 

It  has  taken  me  quite  a  while  to  tell  you  this,  but  with  a  little 
practice  you  can  figure  out  running  foot  costs  on  cornices  in 
about  one-half  the  time  you  will  be  reading  my  explanations 
and  analysis. 


94  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Belt  Courses 

Belt  courses  can  be  figured  out  in  the  same  manner  as  cornices. 
If  several  of  the  cornices,  belts,  rakes,  etc.,  are  of  very  similar 
design  and  size,  they  can  be  grouped  in  measuring,  and  the  cost 
on  the  one  cornice  or  belt,  that  is  the  nearest  to  being  the  average, 
be  worked  out  in  detail  and  this  cost  used  for  all.  In  many 
cases  the  result  thus  obtained  will  be  about  as  accurate  as 
though  each  different  cornice  or  belt  had  been  considered  sepa- 
rately, and  varying  costs  been  worked  out  and  used. 

Corner  Boards 

If  corner  boards  are  of  the  usual  plain  kind  they  can  be  taken 
in  linear  feet  and  the  number  of  feet  by  the  inches  in  width  set 
down  on  the  estimate  sheet.  For  instance,  if  we  had  a  corner 
made  of  one  5-in.  and  one  6-in.  board,  both  J  in.  thick,  and  found 
by  measuring  plans  that  there  were  124  ft.  in  length,  we  would 
enter  same  on  estimate  sheet  as  follows: 

Corner  boards  (pine)  J  x  11  in.  .124  ft.  linear. 

The  stock  you  can  figure  readily  if  you  know  the  prevailing 
prices,  not  forgetting  to  add  to  the  cost  per  foot  a  sufficient 
amount  to  cover  waste.  The  labor  can  be  worked  out  the  same 
way  I  worked  out  the  building  of  the  cornice,  unless  you  have 
noted  the  time  and  figured  out  the  cost  per  foot  on  some  build- 
ing, and  thus  have  a  basis  to  work  from.  The  best  way  to 
measure  the  plans  for  corner  boards  is  to  have  in  front  of  you 
the  first  floor  plan,  and  within  sight  and  reach  have  one  or  more 
of  the  elevations.  Now,  look  at  the  floor  plan,  and  take  a  prom- 
inent corner,  which  locate  on  one  of  the  two  elevations  upon 
which  it  will  show  and  scale  the  height.  Set  down  the  result  on  a 
scrap  of  paper;  then  take  the  next  corner  (to  the  right  or  left, 
as  you  choose),  locating  this  corner  on  the  elevations  and  scale 
the  height,  setting  down  under  the  former  figures.  Proceed  in 
this  way  around  the  building  until  you  reach  the  corner  at  which 
you  started,  noting  and  setting  down  any  corners  showing  on 
elevations  that  are  not  apparent  on  the  first-floor  plan,  such  as 
on  overhanging  second  stories,  dormer  windows,  etc.,  as  you  have 
the  various  elevations  before  you.  Add  the  figures  you  have  put 
down  on  the  scrap  of  paper,  and  thus  obtain  the  total  linear  feet 


SHINGLES,  CLAPBOARDS  AND  OUTSIDE  FINISH  95 

of  corner  board,  which  latter  you  enter  on  the  estimate  sheet  with 
the  total  width,  thickness  and  kind  of  lumber.  Having  done 
this,  proceed  to  the  next  item,  leaving  the  figuring  out  of  the 
cost  until  through  with  the  surveying  of  plan.  The  above  ex- 
planation for  surveying  plans  for  corner  boards  would  apply 
where  a  building  was  somewhat  irregular  in  plan  and  with 
several  different  lengths  of  corners.  By  checking  from  the  floor 
plan  you  avoid  the  possibility  of  missing  any  corner  and  of  get- 
ting any  corner  twice.  As  each  complete  corner  appears  on  two 
elevations,  there  is  a  probability  of  the  latter  error  occurring  if 
floor  plan  is  not  referred  to.  Of  course,  if  the  building  is  per- 
fectly plain  and  all  corners  run  to  the  main  cornice,  the  latter 
being  level  all  around  the  structure,  you  need  only  to  glance  at 
any  floor  plan;  count  the  corners;  lay  your  rule  on  any  eleva- 
tion, scale  the  height ;  multiply  the  height  by  the  number  of  cor- 
ners, mentally  or  otherwise,  and  thus  obtain  total  linear  feet. 

Saddle  Boards 

Saddles  can  be  measured  either  on  the  roof  plan,  if  there  is 
one,  upon  which  they  all  show,  or  from  the  several  elevations. 
Some  care  must  be  used  in  working  from  elevations  not  to  get 
the  same  stretch  of  saddle  measured  twice,  as  each  run  of  saddle 
board  will  show  on  two  elevations.  Enter  the  total  linear  feet, 
width  and  other  particulars  on  the  estimate  sheet  in  same  man- 
ner as  corner  boards. 

Water  Table 

This  can  be  more  conveniently  measured  on  the  first  floor  plan 
than  from  the  elevations.  In  measuring  begin  at  some  one  cor- 
ner and  work  around  the  outline  of  the  building  until  you  arrive 
at  the  starting  point,  setting  down  on  a  scrap  of  paper  each 
length  as  obtained  and  adding  for  the  total.  The  total  number 
of  feet,  with  the  particulars  (inches  of  plain  stock  and  molding), 
are  then  carried  to  the  estimate  sheet. 

In  ordinary  frame  structures  the  corner  boards,  saddle  boards 
and  water  table  are  usually  of  dimensions  sufficiently  alike  to 
permit  of  their  being  all  surveyed  together  and  the  cost  carried 
out  at  one  price  per  linear  foot 


96  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Window  Caps 

Where  windows  have  molded  caps  there  is  usually  some  one 
of  the  cornices  that  is  of  about  the  same  section,  and  you  will 
find  that  you  can  simplify  matters  somewhat  by  measuring  caps 
with  such  a  cornice.  In  measuring  a  cap  I  always  allow  2  ft. 
extra  length  over  face  measurement  to  cover  returns. 

Piazza  Facia 

The  plain  board  or  facia  that  goes  over  the  sill  of  the  piazza  I 
usually  make  a  separate  item,  and  include  with  it  the  risers  and 
face  stringers  of  all  outside  steps  and  the  base  board  of  lattice 
work.  Carry  to  the  estimate  sheet  the  total  running  feet  and 
make  note  of  the  average  width  and  thickness.  Most  of  the 
measurements  for  all  above  piazza  and  step  parts  are  readily 
obtained  from  the  first  floor  plan,  but  if  you  choose  the  elevations 
may  be  used.  In  any  case,  you  must  refer  to  the  elevations  for 
the  widths. 

Piazza  Floors  and  Steps 

These  are  simple  matters  of  areas  and  should  be  taken  from 
the  floor  plans.  I  usually  take  both  under  one  heading,  meas- 
uring the  steps  double,  as  the  treads  are  usually  of  1£  or  1^  in. 
stock,  and  the  cost  of  labor  per  "square"  or  square  foot  is 
greater  than  for  the  piazza  flooring.  Of  course,  the  result  can 
be  worked  out  more  minutely  if  you  make  two  separate  items; 
but  the  step  area  is  usually  such  a  small  part  of  the  total  area  of 
piazzas  and  steps  that  the  costs  carried  out  will  be  but  slightly 
affected  if  you  consider  them  jointly. 

Columns  and  Pilasters 

If  there  are  piazza  columns  and  pilasters  make  a  note  on  the 
estimate  sheet  of  the  number,  size  and  description  of  each  kind. 
If  you  are  unable  to  figure  out  costs  for  these  parts  delivered 
at  the  building,  you  can  confer  with  a  mill  man  and  obtain  prices 
from  him.  To  the  price  delivered  should  be  added  the  cost  of 
the  labor  handling  and  setting,  thus  carrying  out  the  cost  for 
them  set  complete  in  the  building.  In  determining  the  labor 
cost  per  column  or  pilaster  for  handling  and  setting,  apply  the 
rule  I  have  given  for  figuring  labor  on  cornices.  This  rule  is 


SHINGLES,  CLAPBOARDS  AND  OUTSIDE  FINISH  97 

readily  applicable  to  any  item  of  outside  or  inside  finish,  and  in 
the  absence  of  statistics  of  costs  obtained  from  actual  erection 
of  similar  parts  in  structures  you  have  built,  I  know  of  no  other 
way  of  arriving  at  the  probable  cost.  Many  men  take  other 
men 's  word  for  the  cost  of  labor  per  given  unit,  but  so  few  men 
make  any  attempt  to  prove  their  opinions  in  such  things  that 
you  will  do  better  to  rely  upon  your  own  judgment. 

Balustrades. 

Balustrades  can  be  best  figured  by  the  linear  foot  erected.  The 
quantity  is  most  readily  obtained  from  the  floor  plans,  but  you 
must  refer  to  the  elevations  for  the  style  of  rails  and  balusters. 
Sometimes  in  the  absence  of  elevations  a  full  description  of 
balustrades  will  be  given  in  the  specifications.  In  analyzing  a 
foot  in  length  of  balustrade  you  have  1-0  of  top  rail  of  specified 
section,  1-0  of  bottom  rail  ditto,  and  as  many  balusters  of  the 
required  size  and  spacing  as  it  takes  to  make  1  ft.  0  in.  The 
labor  you  can  determine  by  the  rule  I  have  already  given.  As 
all  ordinary  sizes  and  shapes  of  rails  and  balusters  are  sold  at 
standard  prices  in  each  locality,  you  should  experience  no  diffi- 
culty in  making  a  very  close  estimate  of  the  probable  cost  per 
foot. 

If  the  parts  are  of  special  design,  you  must  exercise  your  judg- 
ment in  working  out  costs,  or  refer  the  particulars  to  your  mill 
man  and  get  his  prices  for  material  delivered,  to  which  must  be 
added  the  labor.  Where  small  posts  or  buttresses  occur  in  balus- 
trades count  same  and  make  a  price  each,  installed.  As  an  ex- 
ample of  entering  columns,  posts  and  balustrades  on  the  esti- 
mate sheet  see  Fig.  22. 

Lattice. 

I  find  the  most  convenient  way  to  figure  lattice  is  by  the  square 
toot.  The  quantity  you  will  have  to  take  from  the  elevations, 
and  in  measuring  for  same  remember  that  the  border  boards 
cover  up,  as  a  rule,  almost  their  entire  widths  of  lattice.  The 
spruce  framing  necessary  to  fur  for  lattice  work  is  in  most  cases 
so  small  a  factor  that  it  need  not  be  considered.  If,  however,  it 
should  appear  to  you  that  enough  furring  will  be  required  to 
make  it  worth  while  to  take  note  of  it,  take  a  typical  panel  of 


98  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

lattice,  work  out  the  number  of  feet  board  measure  of  furring 
and  studding  necessary  for  this  particular  panel,  and  then  divide 
the  quantity  by  the  number  of  square  feet  of  lattice  in  the  panel. 
This  will  give  you  the  quantity  of  furring  per  square  foot  of 
lattice,  and  in  making  your  cost  it  can  be  put  in  at  its  value. 

I  don't  know  as  it  is  necessary  to  further  enumerate  outside 
finish,  as  I  have  given  enough  examples  to  enable  you  to  sub- 
divide and  work  out  costs  on  the  numerous  items  under  this 
heading.  The  nature  of  the  plan's  and  details  for  these  parts 
will  have  to  be  the  determining  factors  in  the  number  of  sub- 
headings into  which  you  will  divide  the  work  for  convenience 
in  measuring  and  analyzing  costs.  As,  in  the  general  run  of 
good  work  nowadays,  no  two  jobs  will  be  exactly  alike,  judgment 
will  be  a  large  factor  in  making  the  unit  prices. 


CHAPTER  XVII 
Windows,  Doors,  Inside  Finish  and  Floors 

Ordinarily  the  windows  of  a  building  are  quite  uniform  in 
size  and  detail.  This  is  especially  true  if  we  leave  out  of  con- 
sideration the  basement  or  cellar  windows.  In  figuring  I  make 
one  typical  window  the  "unit"  upon  which  to  carry  out  the  es- 
timated cost  of  the  windows  of  a  structure.  In  figuring  the  cost 
of  a  window  include  the  frame,  sashes,  weights,  cord,  hardware, 
blinds  and  trimmings,  stool,  apron,  casings,  edge  casings,  stop- 
beads  and  rough  grounds ;  also  in  working  out  the  cost  of  labor 
per  window  consider  the  labor  on  all  of  the  above  enumerated 
parts,  together  with  the  time  involved  in  taking  these  materials 
off  the  teams  and  carrying  them  into  the  building,  and  the 
handling  and  distributing  to  the  various  rooms  until  installed. 
By  taking  a  window  which  seems  to  be  a  fair  average  in  size  and 
detail  and  carefully  working  out  the  cost  on  all  the  parts  and 
operations— as  above  noted— and  using  the  cost  thus  obtained 
for  all  windows,  the  resulting  figures  will  be,  in  nearly  all  cases, 
as  accurate  as  though  you  had  made  15  or  20  different  prices  for 
as  many  kinds  and* sizes  of  windows.  However,  if  there  happens 
to  be  several  very  large  and  out  of  the  ordinary  windows,  such, 
for  instance,  as  a  large  tripple,  with  pilaster  casings,  semi-cir- 
cular transom,  leaded  or  plate  glass,  etc.,  it  is  wise  to  leave  them 
out  of  the  general  enumeration  and  figure  the  cost  separately. 
Also  if  there  are  a  number  of  very  simple  windows,  such  as  small 
cellar  sashes  with  plank  frames  and  no  inside  finish,  make  them 
a  separate  item.  Thus  in  the  case  of  almost  any  building  an 
accurate  result  can  be  obtained  by  making  no  more  than  three 
items  of  windows. 

The  costs  of  stock-size  and  ordinary  detail  windows,  frames 
and  blinds  are  standard  in  every  locality  and  can  be  readily  ob- 
tained if  you  do  not  already  know  them.  You  should  also  have 
a  common  and  plate  glass  price  list  at  hand  and  keep  posted  on 
the  discounts ;  these  vary  from  time  to  time,  but  if  you  are  buy- 
ing much  glass  you  will  receive  the  notice  of  any  change  in  dis- 

99 


100  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

counts  from  your  local  dealer.  The  members  making  up  the 
finish  of  a  window  are  easily  figured  at  moulding  prices,  which 
are  usually  for  a  certain  amount  per  square  inch  of  section,  per 
foot  of  length. 

As  an  example  we  will  work  out  the  cost  of  an  average  win- 
dow, such  as  would  be  found  in  the  hypothetical  building  of 
which  we  are  making  a  survey  and  estimate : 

1  box  frame  (for  brick),  15  x  30  in.,  4  lights ; $  1.75 

1  window   (2  sashes),  \]/2  in.  thick,  No.  1  single  thick  glass 1.65 

24  Ib.  weights 42 

1/5  hank  cotton  cord 20 

1  pair  No.  1  blinds,  ]/2  roll  and  trimmings 1.10 

1  piece  stool,  7/s  x  4  in.  by  4  ft.  2  in 17 

I  piece  apron  moulding,  %  x  4  in.  by  4  ft 17 

15  ft.  y%  x  5  in.  casing 75 

15  ft.  J^  x  4  in.  edge  casings 60 

II  ft.  7/£  x  3  in.  box  veneers 33 

11  ft.  y2  x  2^  in.  stop  beads 28 

3  ft.  y2  x  4J£  in.  stop  beads 14 

22  ft.  24  x  y4  grounds 07 

Locks,  lifts  and  stop  bead  screws,  etc 45 

Labor  (8  hours?),  at  41  cents 3.28 


Total  cost  of  window  installed $1 1.35 

Having  thus  worked  out  a  cost  on,  an  average  window,  carry 
out  the  cost  for  all  windows  as  shown  on  Fig.  33,  by  multiplying 
by  the  whole  number.  You  will  find  that  the  result  of  using  this 
average  price  will,  in  most  cases,  give  a  probable  cost  as  accurate 
as  you  would  obtain  if  you  made  a  dozen  different  kinds  of 
windows  and  used  a  separate  cost  on  each.  By  including  all 
windows  in  the  count,  calling  a  mullion  two,  and  a  triple  three 
windows,  etc.,  and  not  excepting  the  simple  cellar  and  attic  win- 
dows, you  save  yourself  a  lot  of  time,  and  wearisome  figuring. 
There  are  almost  invariably  several  windows  in  a  building  that 
are  considerably  more  expensive  than  the  average,  and  the  dif- 
ference in  cost  between  the  cellar  and  other  very  simple  windows 
and  the  average  window  upon  which  your  price  is  based  will 
usually  compensate  for  the  former. 

All  I  have  said  about  windows  will  apply  to  doors,  except  that 
in  many  buildings  it  may  be  policy  to  separate  doors  into  two  or 
more  classes.  I  advise  that  this  be  done  in  the  case  of  doors, 


WINDOWS,  DOORS,  INSIDE  FINISH  AND  FLOORS  101 

because  there  are  usually  but  two  or  three  classes  and  sizes  of 
doors  in  a  building,  and  the  same  structure  would  have  perhaps 
20  kinds  and  sizes  of  windows.  Thus  subdividing  the  doors  will 
not  complicate  matters  or  seriously  interfere  with  speed  in  figur- 
ing. Take  one  door  of  each  class  and  dissect  and  analyze  it  in 
the  same  way  I  did  the  windows.  Begin  Avith  the  grounding  of 
rough  opening  and  figure  everything  to  make  a  complete  door 
and  trimmings  installed  in  the  building. 

Base  and  Mouldings 

Base  and  moulding  should  always  be  figured  together  and  in 
running  feet.  In  making  a  price  per  foot  include  grounds,  base 
and  moulding,  and  labor  for  all  of  these  items  of  stock;  not  for- 
getting in  determining  the  labor  item  to  take  into  account  the 
miscellaneous  handling  of  the  stock  from  a  team  into  the  build- 
ing and  its  distribution  to  the  various  parts  of  the  structure 
preparatory  to  actual  installation.  If  there  are  several  kinds  of 
base,  measure  each  kind  and  work  out  the  cost  separately.  In 
measuring  the  plan  I  find  the  best  way  to  proceed  is  as  follows: 
Assume  part  of  the  building  to  have  8-in.  base  and  IJ-in.  mould- 
ing of  white  wood  and  the  balance  9-in.  base  and  2-in.  moulding 
of  quartered  oak.  Take  a  piece  of  paper  and  at  top  of  same  make 
memos.  as  follows : 

9  in.  -f-  2  in.  quartered  oak.  8  in.  +  iy2  in.  white  wood. 

"Outs"  "Outs" 

Feet.  Feet.  Feet.  Feet. 

24                             6  26  7 

28                              9  32  16 

32                              7  46  9 

40                            ,..'"  18 

•.  -/.  ^:                         ./  21 

124  22  143  31 

22  ....  31 

102  ..  112 

Now  begin  with  the  first  floor  plan  and  take  a  room  in  one 
corner  of  the  plan:  Scale  one  way,  say  12  ft.,  double  for  the 
two  sides  of  the  room  and  set  down  24  ft. ;  then  scale  room  the 
other  way,  double  and  set  down;  note  the  doors,  say  two,  each 
eliminating  about  3  ft.  of  base;  under  "outs"  set  down  6  ft.  If 


102  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

there  is  a  closet  to  this  room,  take  the  base  in  this  next  and  enter 
measurements  under  the  proper  heading  of  dimensions  and  kind 
of  wood.  Continue  your  measurements  throughout  the  entire 
floor,  taking  the  rooms  in  the  order  that  the  plan  suggests  to  you 
as  being  least  apt  to  lead  to  confusion. 

Having  completed  the  first  floor,  take  the  second  in  the  same 
way,  also  the  third,  etc.,  until  the  whole  building  is  measured. 
Then,  by  adding  up  the  gross  measurements  and  "outs"  sepa- 
rately, and  deducting  the  latter  from  the  former,  you  have  the 
net  running  feet  of  each  kind.  I  have  carried  out  a  few  meas- 
urements under  the  headings  and  performed  the  subtraction  of 
"outs"  to  show  how  it  is  done.  The  net  amounts  thus  obtained 
can  now  be  carried  to  the  estimate  sheet  and  the  price  per  foot 
and  total  costs  be  figured  after  you  are  through  with  the  plan. 
Sometimes  a  building  is  laid  out  so  nearly  alike  on  each  floor 
that  the  result  will  be  sufficiently  accurate  if  a  typical  floor  is 
measured  and  the  quantity  thus  obtained  is  multiplied  by  the 
number  of  floors. 

Chair  Rails,  Etc. 

Chair  rails,  picture  moulding,  and  all  similar  parts  of  inside 
finish  can  be  measured  in  the  way  demonstrated  above  for  base 
and  mouldings,  the  total  running  feet  in  each  case  being  carried 
to  the  estimate  sheet.  Where  grounds  are  required,  figure  both 
stock  and  labor  in  making  the  price  per  linear  foot  installed. 

Clothes  Closets 

Having,  in  surveying  the  base,  taken  care  of  the  closet  base, 
and  in  making  price  for  doors  included  all  finish  and  labor  for 
same,  all  that  is  left  for  us  to  figure  in  an  ordinary  clothes  closet 
are  the  hook  cleats,  hooks  and  shelf. 

Refer  to  the  floor  plans  and  count  the  closets,  putting  down 
on  estimate  sheet,  Fig.  33,  the  number.  With  plans  still  before 
you  pick  out  a  closet  that  represents  about  the  average  size  and 
on  the  figuring  pad  put  down  the  number  of  feet  of  hook  cleat, 
length  and  width  of  shelf  and  number  of  hooks  as  follows : 

10  ft.  ^  x  4j^  in.  cleat. 

16  hooks. 

1  shelf  12  in.  by  4  ft.  by  ^  in. 


WINDOWS,  DOORS,  IXSJDti  FINISH  AND  FLOORS 


103 


Having  done  this,  figure  out  the  cost  of  these  materials  and 
determine  the  length  of  time  that  will  probably  be  required  by  a 
carpenter  to  install  same  and  add  for  a  total  cost  per  closet.  It 
may  happen  that  several  closets  included  in  the  count  of  19,  as 
set  down  on  estimate  sheet,  have  a  case  of  drawers  in  addition 
to  the  cleats,  hooks  and  shelf.  In  this  case  enter  on  estimate 


3 


o 


.       x  z 


3  o-o     *«      «• 


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3 


3 


J3  l^ 


17  so 


60 


FIG.  33 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  7 

sheet,  Fig.  33,  the  number,  and  work  out  the  price,  complete, 
installed.  If  you  are  not  familiar  with  mill  work  and  cannot 
reason  out  a  price  for  yourself,  put  down  height,  width,  depth 
and  number  of  drawers  and  kind  of  wood,  and  after  you  are 


104  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

through  with  the  plan  you  can  telephone  or  visit  your  mill  man 
and  get  his  price,  to  which  you  can  add  labor,  hardware,  etc., 
and  then  carry  out  the  cost. 

In  the  same  manner  all  special  closets,  such  as  for  china  and 
linen,  pantries  and  pot  closets,  or  any  small  room  with  out-of- 
the-ordinary  finish,  may  be  analyzed  and  a  cost  worked  out 
to  suit  the  conditions  found. 

Stairs  are  now  usually  built  by  men  who  do  nothing  else,  and 
bids  for  the  stair  work  of  a  building  can  readily  be  obtained  at 
short  notice.  However,  I  think  it  is  better  to  keep  posted  as  to 
the  cost  of  rails,  balusters,  newels  and  similar  parts  of  stairs, 
and  to  take  the  trouble  to  see  how  long  a  man  is  occupied  in 
erecting  and  finishing  different  staircases  on  the  work,  and  thus 
prepare  yourself  to  make  sufficiently  accurate  costs  for  use  in 
the  estimates.  There  is  such  a  decided  similarity  in  stairs  found 
in  ordinary  apartment  houses  and  dwellings  that  in  a  short  time 
you  get  well  enough  acquainted  with  the  costs  per  flight  to  look 
at  a  flight  on  the  plan  and  sections,  read  the  specifications  cover- 
ing it  and  make  a  price  "off  the  reel"  to  use  a  slang  phrase,  as 
close  as  you  could  get  if  you  figured  for  half  an  hour  or  called 
in  a  stair  builder.  Of  course  you  cannot  apply  any  such  snap 
judgment  to  complicated  and  out-of-the-ordinary  flights,  and  on 
such  as  these  it  may  be  wise  to  call  up  your  mill  man  or  stair- 
builder  and  ask  some  questions  and  prices  before  making  out  a 
cost  yourself.  And  so  I  might  go  on  indefinitely  with  inside 
finish,  but  I  think  I  have  given  enough  examples  to  "blaze  the 
way"  and  your  own  judgment  will  carry  you  through  any  other 
items  under  this  head  that  you  will  encounter.  If  you  do  not 
always  feel  secure  in  your  own  judgment,  list  the  items  and 
write  down  brief  description ;  then  go  and  talk  it  over  with  the 
mill  man.  Then,  having  made  a  price,  if  you  obtain  the  job,  see 
how  your  prices  work  out,  and  thus  check  and  correct  your  judg- 
ment. In  the  long  run  it  is  much  more  satisfactory  and  safer 
to  figure  this  way  than  it  is  to  take  a  lump  sum  bid  from  a  mill 
man  for  all  finishing  materials  and  to  try  and  lump  the  labor  of 
installing  them. 

You  have  noticed  that  under  the  various  subdivisions  of  inside 
finish  I  include  "grounds"  in  working  out  a  price.  This  item 
usually  appears  in  the  specifications  after  "studding  and  fur- 


WINDOWS,  DOORS,  INSIDE  FINISH  AND  FLOORS  105 

ring,"  but  if  you  were  to  take  up  the  surveying  of  the  quantity 
at  that  time  you  would  have  to  go  all  through  the  plans  and 
spend  perhaps  15  minutes'  time.  By  ignoring  it  then,  and  taking 
it  with  "doors,"  "base,"  "chair  rails,"  etc.,  your  survey  serves 
you  a  double  purpose,  and  it  is  just  as  easy  to  include  the  cost  of 
grounds  and  labor  in  figuring  a  door,  or  a  foot  of  base,  as  not  to, 
and  results  are  more  accurate.  Upper  floors  are  best  figured  by 
the  "square"  (100  sq.  ft.)  laid  and  smoothed  complete.  If  there 
are  several  different  kinds  of  woods  used,  some  having  more 
labor  expended  upon  them,  such  as  in  laying  borders,  high  class 
smoothing,  etc.,  each  kind  should  be  surveyed  separately.  In 
cases  of  this  kind  the  best  method  in  which  to  make  the  survey 
is  to  take  the  dimensions  of  each  room  or  compartment  separately, 
setting  same  down  on  a  scrap  of  paper  under  the  head  of  the 
kind  called  for.  For  example,  assume  that  there  are  some  quar- 
tered oak  floors,  2J  in.  wide,  matched,  and  that  the  rooms  where 
same  occur  all  have  borders  2  ft.  wide;  other  rooms  have  Rift 
Georgia  hard  pine,  2£  in.  wide,  matched,  no  borders,  and  still 
more  rooms  with  slash  North  Carolina  pine,  4  to  6  in.  wide  and 
j Hatched ;  also  that  all  floors  are  laid  over  heavy  sheathing  paper, 
and  that  the  oak  and  Georgia  pine  floors  are  to  be  protected  as 
soon  as  completed  by  covering  them  all  over  with  good  service- 
able paper,  which  is  to  be  renewed  as  often  as  necessary  to  keep 
these  floors  in  condition  until  building  is  turned  over  to  the 
painter.  Then  proceed  as  follows :  On  your  figuring  pad  make 
the  headings  thus :  •  "  Oak, "  "  Geo. "  "  N.  C.  P. "  Take  the  first 
floor  plan  and  begin  in  one  corner,  scaling  dimensions  of  this 
room,  which  we  will  call  "Geo.,"  and  enter  dimensions  under 
this  heading.  If  this  room  was  14  ft.  6  in.  x  16  ft.  it  would  go 
down  on  the  figuring  pad  thus : 

Geo. 

14  ft.  6  in.  x  16  ft. 

Take  the  next  room  or  closet,  scale,  and  enter  dimensions 
where  they  belong,  proceeding  in  this  way  throughout  the 
entire  floor,  choosing  a  course  from  room  to  room  that  suggests 
itself  as  being  least  apt  to  lead  to  confusion.  After  all  of 
the  floors  in  the  building  have  been  taken  in  this  way,  a  few 
minutes'  figuring  will  give  the  number  of  squares  of  each  kind, 
and  these  totals  can  be  carried  to  the  estimate  sheet,  Fig. 


106  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

34,  with  brief  descriptions,  and  a  cost  per  square  for  each  worked 
out  later.  In  taking  off  the  floors  in  this  manner  there  will 
probably  be  no  "outs"  worth  taking  into  account.  If  there  are 
any  of  consequence,  note  of  their  dimensions  should  be  taken  at 
the  time  of  scaling  the  compartment  in  which  they  occur,  and 
they  should  be  entered  on  the  figuring  pad  under  the  head  of 
"outs"  and  in  a  parallel  column  with  the  particular  kind  of 
floor  you  are  surveying.  The  results  obtained  by  such  a  survey 
as  just  described  will  be  very  accurate,  if  any  care  is  taken  in 
scaling  dimensions.  To  simplify  the  figuring  as  much  as  con- 
sistent with  reasonable  accuracy,  work  in  feet  and  half  feet  only. 
Thus,  if  a  room  scaled  14  ft.  8  in.  one  way,  call  it  14  ft.  6  in. ; 
or,  if  14  ft.  10  in.,  call  it  15  ft.  By  the  time  you  have  been 
through  the  whole  plan  the  differences  thus  made  will  be  pretty 
well  averaged. 

If  there  is  only  one  kind  of  flooring  in  the  building,  or  possibly 
a  very  little  of  a  second  kind,  the  survey  may  be  made  much 
quicker  and  with  sufficient  accuracy  by  proceeding  as  follows : 
Assume  a  rectangular  plan,  say,  60  x  80  ft.  inside  of  walls,  cut 
by  partitions  into  numerous  rooms  or  offices,  such  as  would  be  the 
case  in  an  apartment  block  or  office  building.  Look  at  the  floor 
plan  and  see  about  how  many  partitions  there  are  running  sub- 
stantially parallel  with  each  dimension  of  the  building  and  prac- 
tically continuous.  Say  that  there  are  five  partitions  more  or  less 
continuous  the  60-ft.  way  and  four  the  80-ft.  way.  The  average 
partition  by  the  time  it  is  plastered  and  based,  will  be  near  enough 
to  6  in.  to  call  it  so.  Then  cut  the  80-ft.  dimension  five  times  6 
in.  or  2J  ft.,  making  it  77^  ft.,  and  the  60-ft.  dimensions  four 
times  6  in.,  or  2  ft.,  making  58  ft.  Then  the  area  to  have  an 
upper  floor  will  be  58  ft.  by  77  ft.  6  in.,  less  what  "outs,"  such 
as  stairways,  large  chimneys,  small  areas  of  tile  in  toilet  rooms, 
etc.,  there  may  be.  These  figured  out,  and  a  net  area  or  number 
of  squares  is  obtained  for  one  floor.  If  the  succeeding  floors  are 
of  nearly  the  same  area,  multiply  by  the  number  of  stories  in  the 
building.  Now,  if  there  are  a  few  squares  or  some  other  kind  of 
flooring,  survey  same,  room  by  room,  figure  a  total  and  subtract 
from  the  grand  total  for  the  whole  building.  By  this  method  the 
floors  of  a  very  large  building  can  be  surveyed  in  several  min- 
utes. If  you  are  hurried  with  your  plan  and  must  give  it  up  to 


WINDOWS,  DOORS,  INSIDE  FINISH  AND  FLOORS  10T 

some  one  else  shortly,  the  dimensions  can  go  right  to  the  estimate 
sheet  and  the  computation  of  areas  be  left  until  later. 

Having  demonstrated  the  surveying  of  floors,  we  will  work  out 
the  cost  per  square  on  the  quartered  oak : 

100  ft.  plus  y3  for  matching  and  cutting  waste  =  133  ft.  B.  M.,  at 

$120.00  per  M $15.90 

4  Ih.  nails,  at  4  cents 10 

Paper  under  floor  ($2  per  roll  of  500  sq.  ft.),  allowing  10  per  cent,  for 

lapping  and  waste  44 

Paper  for  protection  (assume  that  floor  will  have  to  be  covered  twice 

and  with  paper  at  $1.50  per  500  sq.  ft.) 60 

Labor  laying,  smoothing  and  covering 8.00 

Total  cost  per  square $25.16 

Now,  as  there  will  be  some  little  handling  of  the  flooring  stock 
and  moving  of  other  stock  and  cleaning  up  to  make  room  for  the 
floor  layers,  I  should  figure  $26  per  square ;  thus  in  the  estimate 
sheet  shown  in  Fig.  34  we  carry  out  the  cost  of  the  21  squares  at 
this  price.  By  analyzing  as  above,  work  out  the  cost,  installed 
complete,  of  any  kind  of  flooring.  In  the  locality  of  Boston  car- 
penters never  lay  floors  except  small  quantities  met  with  in  job- 
bing. We  let  the  labor  of  laying  to  a  contracting  floor  layer  at 
so  much  per  square,  or  in  some  cases  for  a  lump  sum  for  the 
entire  building.  If  such  is  the  case  in  your  community  and  you 
are  not  posted  on  costs,  you  should  become  acquainted  with  the 
standard  prices  per  square  charged  for  the  various  kinds  of 
work. 

In  every  building  there  are  miscellaneous  special  items  or 
parts  that  must  be  listed  and  probable  costs  be  computed.  Amon<r 
these  will  be  such  items  as  store  fronts,  bulk  heads,  cabinets  of 
various  sorts  for  gas  or  electric  meters,  standards  for  plumbing 
fixtures  and  boards  or  panel  work  to  cover  pipe  slots,  scuttle  and 
ladder  to  roof,  cellar  and  coal  bin  partitions,  etc.  As  you  come 
to  any  such  item  in  the  specifications  proceed  to  list  the  materials 
and  probable  labor  on  the  estimate  sheet.  Many  of  these  items 
are  so  briefly  explained  in  specifications,  and  so  meagerly  shown 
on  plans— if  shown  at  all— that  their  cost  is  pure  conjecture.  In 
making  a  price  in  such  cases  you  will  of  necessity  have  to  be  gov- 
erned by  local  customs,  supplemented  by  your  familiarity  with 
the  architects'  practice. 


PART  IV 

Miscellaneous  Sub-Contracts 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

Plastering 

If  the  plastering  in  a  building  is  not  of  a  complicated  char- 
acter, it  may  be  easily  and  accurately  figured  by  any  one  who 
can  survey  the  quantities,  as  the  prices  per  yard  for  the  several 
kinds  of  work  are  standard  in  every  locality.  Where  there  are 
cornices,  panels,  enriched  mouldings,  columns  and  pilasters  with 
capitals,  and  all  similar  parts  out  of  the  ordinary,  the  work  will 
have  to  be  figured  by  an  expert  plasterer.  For  purpose  of  illus- 
trating methods  for  surveying  quantities,  we  will  assume  that  the 
building  in  hand  has  no  plastering  out  of  the  ordinary.  Say,  for 
instance,  that  the  boiler  room  ceiling  is  two-coat  work  on  wire 
lathing,  and  that  several  sets  of  steel  beams  and  the  cast  iron 
columns  are  wrapped  with  wire  lathing  and  plastered  two  heavy 
coats  for  the  purpose  of  fireproofing  them;  that  the  balance  of 
the  work  is  two  coats— brown  mortar,  and  sand  and  lime-putty 
skimming— on  IJ-in.  spruce  lath.  Included  in  the  last  kind  is 
the  cellar  ceiling  except  boiler  room. 

Take  the  framing  plan  that  shows  location  and  length  of  the 
steel  beams;  scale  the  length  and  note  the  size  and  number  of 
beams  making  up  the  sets.  Assume  a  set  of  three  15-in.  42-lb. 
beams,  carrying  a  20-in.  brick  wall  over  17-f t.  openings ;  the  girt 
of  this  set  will  be  15  in.  plus  15  in.  plus  19  in.,  these  figures  being 
the  dimensions  of  the  two  sides  and  soffit  of  the  set  to  be  wired 
and  plastered;  thus  the  area  to  plaster  is  4  ft.  1  in.  by  17  ft. 
This  is  so  near  to  4  x  17  ft.  that  we  put  it  down  so.  Now  proceed 
to  the  other  sets  of  beams,  setting  down  on  the  figuring  pad  the 
several  dimensions  as  for  the  first  set.  Having  taken  all  beams, 
lay  aside  framing  plans  and  take  regular  floor  plans.  Look  up 
the  columns  next.  Assuming  the  number,  length  and  size  of 
columns  shown  on  estimate  sheet  No.  5  in  Fig.  21,  under  the  head 

108 


PLASTERING  109 

of  '  *  Cast  Iron, ' '  enter  the  dimensions  to  be  plastered,  under  the 
beam  dimensions,  thus : 

2  ft.  x  11  ft.  x  12  times. 

1  ft.  6  in.  x  11  ft.  x  2  times. 

1  ft.  6  in.  8  ft.  6  in. 

Of  course,  you  know  without  my  telling  you  that  the  circum- 
ference of  a  circle  is  slightly  over  three  times  its  diameter— to 
be  exact,  3.1416,  or  three  and  one-seventh  times.  For  purposes 
of  estimating  such  items  as  we  are  now  considering,  three  times 
the  diameter  is  sufficiently  correct,  as  an  inch  or  two,  more  or 
less,  in  the  circumference  of  a  column  will  make  so  slight  a  dif- 
ference in  materials  and  no  difference  in  labor,  that  it  is  not 
worth  while  to  take  it  into  account.  Now  put  all  of  your  dimen- 
sions into  square  feet,  and  by  dividing  by  nine  obtain  the  square 
yards,  or  the  unit  of  measure  by  which  all  ordinary  plastering  is 
figured.  The  number  of  yards  thus  obtained  carry  to  the  esti- 
mate sheet  and  enter  with  brief  description. 

The  66  yards  entered  on  estimate  sheet  No.  8  in  Fig.  34  are  the 
result  of  the  dimensions  used  above  and  the  following: 
3  x  13  ft. 

2  ft.  6  in.  by  14  ft.  x  5  times: 

these  last  two  dimensions,  with  the  dimension  of  4  x  17  ft.  as- 
sumed above,  being  for  the  three  items  of  sets  and  single  beams 
listed  under  the  head  of  "Steel  Work"  on  estimate  sheet  No.  4, 
shown  in  Fig.  20. 

Next  take  the  boiler  room  ceiling,  ceiling  perhaps  17  x  24  ft., 
which  makes  practically  45  sq.  yd.  Enter  this  on  estimate  sheet 
with  description.  This  brings  us  down  to  the  balance  of  the 
building,  which  is  all  one  kind  of  work.  To  be  real  accurate  in 
obtaining  this  part  of  the  survey,  take  the  dimensions  of  ceiling 
and  walls  of  each  room  separately,  room  by  room  and  floor  by 
floor,  to  the  end,  setting  down  dimensions  on  your  figuring  pad 
and  computing  into  feet  and  yards,  which  latter  quantity,  after 
subtracting  the  "outs,"  we  carry  to  estimate  sheet. 

Example  of  Measuring 

For  an  example  in  measuring  and  setting  down  the  dimen- 
sions, assume  a  room  14  x  16  ft.  with  a  story  height  of  9  ft.  j  first 


110  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

scale  room  both  ways  and  put  down  ceiling  dimension  thus:  14 
x  16  ft. ;  then  looking  at  above  dimensions  compute  mentally  the 
perimeter,  or  outline,  of  room  thus :  twice  14  is  28,  plus  twice  16, 
which  is  32,  makes  60  ft. ;  then  under  ceiling  dimensions  enter 
9  x  60  ft.  for  wall  dimensions. 

Custom  Avith  regard  to  "outs"  varies  with  locality,  but  in 
Boston  and  vicinity  plasterers  in  figuring  subtract  one-half  of 
the  "outs,"  unless  they  are  of  such  size  as  to  amount  to  nearly 
the  whole  end  of  a  room,  or  are  of  similar  proportions.  In  a 
building  such  as  the  one  in  hand  the  only  outs  will  be  doors  and 
windows;  the  average  rough  door  opening  will  be  about  3x7  ft, 
or  21  sq.  ft.  one  side,  or  42  sq.  ft.  two  sides ;  the  average  window 
will  be  about  3x5  ft.  or  15  sq.  ft.  In  the  buildings  of  this  class 
there  are  usually  about  the  same  number  each  of  doors  and  win- 
dows. Now  with  the  "outs"  for  doors  and  windows  as  assumed 
above  we  have  57  sq.  ft.,  total  of  a  door  opening  (two  sides)  and 
a  window  (one  side).  This  57  sq.  ft.  is  practically  9  sq.  yds.,  or 
an  average  of  3  sq.  yds.  per  door  side,  or  per  window  side.  Then 
to  allow  out  of  the  total  survey  the  customary  amount,  we  halve 
the  3  sq.  yds.,  giving  us  1J  sq.  yds.  per  door,  or  per  window,  side. 

Having  obtained  the  quantity  of  plastering  by  measuring  each 
room  and  computing  the  dimensions  thus  obtained  into  square 
feet  and  square  yards,  no  attention,  meamvhile,  having  been  paid 
to  doors  and  windows,  we  next  count  the  number  of  doors  and 
multiply  by  two  for  the  number  of  "sides,"  and  to  this  add  the 
number  of  windows.  Thus  we  obtain  the  number  of  "sides"  out. 
Say,  for  example,  that  there  are  44  doors,  two  of  which  are  in  the 
outer  wall;  these  would  make  86  "sides";  also  that  there  are  42 
windows  in  outside  walls  that  come  in  plastered  compartments ; 
these  make  42  more  "sides."  Thus  we  have  a  total  of  128  "sides" 
to  allow  out  at  1J  sq.  yds.  each,  or  192  sq.  yds.  This  quantity  we 
subtract  from  the  whole  survey  and  obtain  the  number  of  yards 
upon  which  to  compute  the  cost.  If  there  were  "outs"  other 
than  for  doors  and  windows  their  dimensions  should  be  set  down 
on  figuring  pad  under  this  head  ("outs")  at  time  of  making  the 
room  by  room  survey,  and  their  resulting  area  in  square  feet  be 
deducted  from  the  total  square  feet  before  reducing  to  square 
vards, 


PLASTERING 


111 


Surveying  Plastering 

All  that  I  have  said  before  in  these  articles  under  other  heads 
in  regard  to  figuring  in  feet  and  half  feet  should  be  applied  in 
surveying  plastering.  Now  that  I  have  shown  you  how  to  make 
an  accurate  survey  of  the  plastering,  which  you  must  admit  will 


£ 


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371 


30 


FIG.  34 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  8 

give  you  the  correct  result  if  the  arithmetical  operations  are  cor- 
rectly performed,  I  will  give  you  another  way  to  survey  the 
building  for  plastering  that  will  be  nearly  as  accurate,  that  you 
can  perform  in  one-eighth  of  the  time  consumed  by  the  first- 


112  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

method ;  neither  will  it  be  necessary  for  you  to  look  at  the  plan. 
In  making  these  last  two  statements  I  am  assuming  that  you  have 
listed  the  quantities  and  areas  of  materials  in  the  building  in 
the  same  general  way  that  we  have  surveyed  our  hypothetical 
structure.  Taking  the  building  in  hand,  with  materials  shown 
on  estimate  sheets  Nos.  1  to  8,  inclusive,  and  the  same  plastering 
specification  assumed  for  the  first  survey,  proceed  as  follows: 
Take  the  fireproofing  of  beams  and  columns  first.  Refer  to  esti- 
mate sheet  No.  4,  in  Fig.  20.  Having  listed  the  beams  and  sets  of 
beams  there  scheduled  under  the  head  of  "Steel  Work,"  you 
will  recall,  upon  looking  at  same,  their  location  in  the  building, 
and  how  much  of  them  will  be  exposed  and  thus  require  fire- 
proofing.  That  set  of  three  15-in.  42-lb.  beams  19  ft.  6  in.  long 
you  know  must  be  over  an  opening  about  17  ft.  wide,  because 
such  a  set  should  have  bearings  on  the  walls  of  14  in.  or  15  in. 
You  also  know  that  if  bolted  close  together  they  would  measure 
about  18  in.  from  outside  to  outside  of  flanges,  because  the  flange 
on  a  15-in.  beam  is  at  least  5J  in.  So  you  comprehend  in  a  frac- 
tion of  the  time  that  I  consume  in  telling  you  that  this  set  of 
beams  require  wiring  and  plastering  of  the  following  dimen- 
sions :  15  in.  +  15  in.  -f-  18  in.  =  48  in.  =  4  ft.  x  17  ft.  long,  and 
you  enter  these  figures  on  the  pad.  In  this  manner  you  go 
through  the  list  of  steel.  Now  take  estimate  sheet  No.  5,  in  Fig. 
21,  and  refer  to  the  list  of  cast  iron,  picking  out  the  parts  requir- 
ing fireproofing,  which  in  this  case  are  the  columns.  The  dimen- 
sions for  plastering  you  can  read  at  a  glance  and  immediately 
enter  on  the  figuring  pad,  under  those  for  steel.  Both  items  of 
materials  requiring  fireproofing  having  been  looked  through  and 
the  dimensions  of  quantities  obtained,  proceed  to  compute  into 
square  yards  and  enter  the  number  of  yards  and  brief  descrip- 
tion on  estimate  sheet  No.  8,  in  Fig.  34,  under  the  head  of 
''Plastering."  Now  go  right  through  the  estimate  sheets  until 
you  come  to  the  first  item  that  gives  you  the  area  of  some  plas- 
tered portion  of  the  building.  Begin  with  the  sheet  No.  1,  in 
Fig.  17.  No  dimensions  there  that  indicate  plastering.  Sheet  No. 
2 ;  in  Fig.  18,  an  item  of  492  sq.  yds.  of  concrete  floor  is  shown. 
We  know  that  the  ceiling  is  of  the  same  size  as  the  floor,  so  we 
have  here,  all  figured  into  square  yards,  the  area  of  plastering 


PLASTERING  113 

for  basement  ceiling.  Remembering  while  on  this  item  that  the 
boiler  room  ceiling  was  wire  lathing,  you  probably  recall  the  ap- 
proximate size  of  same.  If  you  do  not,  a  reference  to  sheet  No. 
1,  under  the  head  of  "Excavation,"  may  show  you  the  size  of 
the  room,  measured  outside  of  surrounding  walls.  You  recall 
that  the  boiler  room  was%about  3  ft.  deeper  than  the  rest  of  the 
cellar,  and  immediately  identify  the  second  dimension  under 
"Excavation"  as  the  size  of  boiler  room,  measured  outside  of 
the  walls  and  their  footings ;  so  you  shrink  the  figures  about  2 
ft.  each  way  and  call  the  size  of  the  boiler  room  16  x  22  ft.  6  in. 
Thus  you  have  the  information  you  were  looking  for  without  re- 
course to  the  plans,  and  you  can  compute  it  into  square  yards 
and  carry  the  number  of  same,  with  particulars,  to  estimate  sheet 
No.  8  in  Fig.  34,  under  "Plastering." 

As  you  have  taken  the  size  of  the  whole  basement  ceiling  from 
the  number  of  square  yards  of  concrete  scheduled,  which  in  this 
case  we  are  assuming  covers  the  entire  floor,  the  40  sq.  yds.  deter- 
mined upon  as  the  area  of  the  boiler  room  ceiling  must  be  sub- 
tracted from  the  total  of  492  sq.  yds.,  leaving  452  sq.  yds.  of  the 
two  coat  on  wood  lath  plastering;  this  you  enter  up  in  the  corner 
of  the  figuring  pad  and  again  refer  to  estimate  sheets  for  more 
information  as  to  plastered  areas. 

On  estimate  sheet  No.  6,  in  Fig.  22  under  head  of  "studding 
and  furring,"  we  find  listed  the  partition  areas.  To  use  these 
areas  for  plastering  we  must  double  them,  for  in  surveying  par- 
titions for  studding  we  measure  one  side  only,  whereas  they  must 
be  plastered  both  sides;  so  we  take  the  first  three  items— 2364, 
1724,  944— which  are  square  feet  of  partitions,  add  them  and 
double  them,  making  9864  sq.  ft.  of  plastering.  This  quantity 
reduced  to  square  yards  makes  1096.  This  we  carry  to  the  cor- 
ner of  the  figuring  pad  under  the  452  sq.  yds.  previously  set 
down  there. 

Looking  still  further  into  the  schedule  of  studding  and  fur- 
ring, we  recognize  in  the  item  of  11,232  sq.  ft.  of  J  in.  x  2  in. 
furring,  all  of  our  ceilings— basement  excepted— which  was 
lathed  directly  on  the  joists,  and  in  the  item  of  3104  sq.  ft.  of  J 
in.  x  3  in.,  the  furring  of  the  exterior  brick  walls,  where  plas- 
tered. Then  the  total  of  these  two  divided  by  9,  which  makes 


114  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

1593,  are  the  number  of  square  yards  of  plastering  in  ceilings 
and  outside  walls.  This  quantity  set  down  on  figuring  pad  under 
the  other  two  items,  and  the  three  added,  gives  us  a  total  of  3141 
sq.  yds. 

Drying  the  Plastering 

Next  we  must  find  the  "outs,"  so  we  look  along  through  the 
estimate  sheets  until  we  come  to  the  doors  and  windows  on  sheet 
No.  7,  in  Fig.  33.  Here  we  find  42  windows,  4  entrance  and 
vestibule  doors  and  40  inside  doors.  Assuming  that  there  are 
two  entrance  doors,  which  would  be  in  outside  walls  and  two  ves- 
tibule doors,  which  would  come  in  partitions,  we  figure  up  the 
number  of  sides  as  follows : 

42  windows  42  sides 

2  outside  doors 2  sides 

2  vestibule  doors 4  sides 

40  inside  doors   80  sides 



Total   128  sides 

Allowing  out  1J  sq.  yds.  per  side,  we  have  192  sq.  yds.  to  de- 
duct from  our  total  yards,  which  was  3141,  making  2949  sq.  yds. 
This  quantity  we  carry  to  estimate  sheet  8,  in  Fig.  34,  under 
head  of  *  *  Plastering, ' '  and  later  carry  out  a  price  on  same.  Thus 
you  see  it  is  possible  to  make  a  reasonably  accurate  estimate  of 
plastering  from  data  taken  from  the  estimate  sheets,  if  quantities 
of  materials  have  been  entered  as  I  have  suggested. 

Under  the  head  of  "Plastering"  the  specifications  often  call 
for  the  temporary  closing  of  the  building,  also  make  provision 
for  drying  the  plaster.  The  cost  of  these  items  is  largely  a  mat- 
ter of  judgment,  especially  as  regards  drying.  Temporary  clos- 
ing is  usually  a  matter  of  supplying  and  installing  screens,  of 
cotton  cloth  on  frames  of  furring,  in  all  window  openings,  and 
the  making  and  hanging  of  batten  doors  of  coarse  materials  to 
exterior  door  openings.  Knowing  the  number  and  approximate 
size  of  windows  and  outside  door  openings,  you  should  be  able 
to  analyze  and  determine  the  cost  of  same,  without  any  special 
instructions.  To  determine  the  cost  of  drying  plastering  you 
must  take  into  account  the  size  of  the  job,  the  length  of  time 
required  to  perform  same,  the  price  of  coal,  the  method  of  drying, 


PLASTERING  115 

whether  with  the  regularly  installed  heating  apparatus  or  with 
salamanders,  and  the  probable  amount  of  attendance  required. 
Some  plasterers  of  my  acquaintance  have  reduced  the  cost  of 
drying  to  a  price  per  yard  (of  plastering)  basis  by  keeping  a 
careful  account  of  the  total  cost  of  drying  on  a  number  of  jobs, 
finding  the  cost  per  yard  on  each  job  and  thus  obtaining  an 
average.  One  plastering  contractor  of  large  experience  in  Boston 
is  figuring  the  cost  of  drying  at  6  cents  per  yard  for  work  done 
in  cold  weather.  Of  course  work  done  in  late  spring,  summer  and 
early  fall  can  be  dried  out  for  less  per  yard  than  this,  as  Nature 
lends  her  assistance  to  the  task. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

Painting 

I  have  discussed  the  subject  of  estimating  painting  with  a 
great  many  contracting  painters,  and  I  find  there  is  a  great 
variation  in  methods  of  arriving  at  probable  costs.  In  one  par- 
ticular only  do  I  find  them  practically  unanimous,  and  that  is 
that  the  unit  of  measure  is  a  square  yard.  The  cost  per  square 
yard  is  determined  by  the  number  of  coats  to  be  applied.  In 
Boston  the  generally  accepted  price  per  coat  per  square  yard  is 
eight  cents  ($.08).  This  of  course  is  for  plain  work :  either  paint- 
ing, filling,  shellacing,  varnishing,  staining,  etc.  Washing  old 
work  preparatory  to  painting  and  rubbing  down  between  coats, 
if  thoroughly  done  in  each  case,  are  each  usually  considered  to 
be  worth  as  much  as  one  coat  of  paint,  thus  being  worth  8  cents 
per  yard. 

Such  work  as  elaborate  cornices  and  other  complicated  outside 
finish  can  hardly  be  considered  on  the  above  basis,  and  I  find  that 
the  painters  when  estimating  compensate  for  extra  work  at  these 
points  by  doubling,  tripling,  etc.,  the  yards  of  surface,  being  gov- 
erned in  doing  so  wholly  by  their  judgment.  Thus,  if  a  building 
wall  was  20  ft.  high  from  underpinning  to  the  first  member  of 
•the  cornice,  and  the  cornice  was  quite  elaborate  and  had  a  profile 
of  about  4  ft.,  the  painter,  instead  of  figuring  the  wall  24  ft.  high, 
would  double  the  4  ft.,  to  compensate  for  the  extra  labor  involved 
and  figure  wall  28  ft.  high.  He  would  then  multiply  by  the  dis- 
tance around  the  structure  and  reduce  to  square  yards  and  set 
the  price  according  to  the  number  of  coats  to  be  applied.  If  this 
cornice  was  painted  in  several  colors,  he  would  probably  triple 
or  quadruple  the  4  ft.,  according  to  his  judgment.  The  balus- 
trades, columns,  belts,  etc.,  would  be  treated  in  a  similar  manner 
to  the  cornice,  their  complexity  and  the  number  of  colors  being 
the  governing  factors  as  to  the  amount  the  actual  surface  should 
be  increased  to  compensate  for  increased  labor  required. 

In  speaking  above  of  a  wall  20  ft.  high  I  am  assuming  a  plain 
or  flat  surface  wall.  In  the  case  of  a  clapboarded  wall  the  custom 

116 


PAINTING  117 

is  to  increase  the  height  one  eighth,  to  cover  the  butts  of  the  clap- 
boards. If  the  wall  is  of  shingles  (painted,  not  stained),  or  of 
brick,  the  height  is  increased  one-fourth.  The  reason  for  this 
larger  increase  in  the  case  of  shingles  or  brick  is  because  of  the 
fact  that  walls  of  these  materials  are  quite  rough,  and  much  more 
brush  work,  as  well  as  more  paint,  is  required  to  coat  them. 

In  measuring  a  wall  surface  no  attention  is  paid  to  windows, 
the  wall  being  considered  solid.  The  windows  are  then  measured 
over-all,  outside  of  casings,  and  this  surface  doubled.  Thus  a 
window  that  measured  4  x  6  ft.  out  to  out  of  casings  would  be 
worked  out  as  follows:  (4x6  ft.  x  2)  -j-  9  =  5^  sq.  yd.,  or 
practically  5  sq.  yd.  As  it  is  almost  the  invariable  custom  to  draw 
the  sash  in  a  different  color  from  the  casings,  stool  and  cap,  the 
doubling  of  the  surface  is  to  compensate  for  extra  time  involved 
in  cutting  in  the  two  colors.  You  can  readily  see  that  if  the  sash 
and  casings  were  all  one  color  that  a  painter  could  paint  both 
frame  and  sash  in  about  the  same  time  that  it  would  require  to 
paint  each  if  colors  were  different.  If  the  windows  have  blinds 
they  would  be  figured  from  $.75  to  $1  each  pair,  according  to 
size  and  number  of  coats.  Four- fold  blinds  for  one  window  open- 
ing would  be  counted  as  two  pairs.  Except  in  the  case  of  very 
large  or  very  small  blinds,  the  size  makes  so  little  difference  in 
labor,  and  still  less  in  quantity  of  paint,  that  it  is  not  customary 
or  necessary  to  take  the  size  into  account. 

In  measuring  shingled  walls  or  roofs  that  are  stained  (brush 
coated,  not  dipped)  the  surface  would  be  taken  as  explained 
above  for  painting.  But  as  the  cost  of  stain  necessary  to  coat 
a  given  surface,  also  the  labor  of  applying  it,  is  somewhat  less 
than  paint,  the  cost  per  yard,  per  coat,  is  figured  less.  The 
customary  price  per  yard  for  stain  as  above  is  about  7  cents 
per  coat. 

In  figuring  plastered  walls  which  are  painted,  measure  the 
total  height  from  floor  to  ceiling,  not  taking  out  for  base  and 
moulding,  chair  rail  and  picture  moulding.  The  extra  labor  cut- 
ting up  to  these  parts  as  a  rule  involves  more  time  than  the 
painting  of  the  surface  under  them  would  consume. 

If  walls  are  sized  this  would  count  as  one  coat.  If  walls  were 
somewhat  more  than  the  usual  height,  thus  requiring  more  than 


118  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

ordinary  staging  and  climbing,  the  cost  per  yard  must  be  in- 
creased to  cover  them.  This  is  one  of  the  cases  where  your  judg- 
ment will  come  into  play. 

In  measuring  walls  no  attention  is  paid  to  windows  or  doors. 

The  same  rule  used  for  measuring  the  outside  of  the  windows 
is  applied  to  the  inside  of  them  and  also  to  doors.  As  doors  and 
windows  are  generally  of  about  the  same  size  in  most  buildings 
many  painters  in  surveying  plans,  call  each  side  of  a  window 
or  door  5  yd.,  and  each  side  of  a  door  with  transom  6  yd.  of  sur- 
face, price  per  yard  of  course  being  based  on  the  number  of 
coats. 

Either  a  base  and  moulding,  chair  rail  or  picture  moulding  is 
figured  1  ft.  wide,  the  running  feet  being  surveyed  and  then 
reduced  to  square  yards.  A  sheathed  dado  would  be  figured  into 
actual  surface,  the  length  being  multiplied  by  the  height  and  the 
square  feet  thus  obtained  reduced  to  yards.  In  the  case  of  or- 
dinary paneled  dado  the  height  would  be  figured  double ;  and  if 
there  were  raised  panels,  carved  mouldings,  etc.,  triple  or  quad- 
ruple or  even  more  as  judgment  dictated. 

Pantries,  china  closets,  linen  closets,  store  cases,  counters,  etc., 
can  usually  be  worked  out  in  surface  yards,  following  the  rule 
for  increasing  surface  as  given  above  for  dado  work. 

Stairs,  elevator  fronts,  grilles,  enriched  wood  or  plaster  work 
are  wholly  matters  of  judgment  rather  than  yards  of  surface. 

In  figuring  tinting  of  walls  and  ceilings  with  water  colors,  cold 
water  paint,  or  the  various  prepared  substances  of  a  similar  na- 
ture, proceed  to  survey  surfaces  as  above  outlined  for  plastered 
walls.  If  plastering  is  first  sized  this  is  taken  into  account  in 
making  the  price  per  yard.  Sizing  for  this  kind  of  work  is  worth 
less  per  yard  than  for  lead  and  oil  painted  work,  as  it  is  mixed 
and  applied  thinner,  thus  taking  less  stock  and  labor.  Ceilings 
and  walls  of  stores,  offices  or  other  similar  apartments,  are  usual- 
ly conceded  to  be  worth  from  8  to  10  cents  per  yard  for  one  coat 
size  and  one  coat  water  color.  Rooms  in  dwellings  are  usually 
figured  somewhat  more,  running  from  10  to  20  cents  per  yard. 

If  stories  are  of  unusual  height,  thus  requiring  more  staging 
and  climbing,  the  costs  or  areas  must  be  increased  to  compensate 
for  the  extra  labor  required.  The  costs  for  all  substances  similar 
to  water  colors  are  about  the  same  as.  above  quoted. 


FAINTING  119 

The  total  cost  of  any  job  of  painting  divides  about  as  follows: 
75  per  cent,  labor  and  25  per  cent,  stock.  So  you  can  see  that 
the  estimating  of  costs  for  this  work  is  more  a  matter  of  judg- 
ment than  actual  surface  to  be  coated.  By  a  reasonably  close 
adherence  to  the  above  rules  one  should  be  able  to  make  a  suf- 
ficiently accurate  estimate  of  the  cost  of  a  job  of  painting  to  use 
in  making  bids  upon  a  whole  structure.  When  the  work  is  quite 
complicated  you  will  do  better  to  call  in  a  painter  and  get  bona 
fide  bids. 


CHAPTER  XX 

Plumbing,   Gas-Piping,  Electric  Work,  Heating 

The  plumbing  of  most  buildings  is  of  such  a  character  that  in 
order  to  get  anything  like  an  accurate  cost  one  must  call  in  a 
contracting  plumber  and  get  a  figure;  or,  better  still,  call  in 
several  plumbers,  and  use  the  bid  of  the  one  who  submits  the 
lowest  price. 

There  will  be  times,  however,  when  the  plumbing  is  quite 
simple,  and  so  nearly  like  jobs  that  you  have  done  in  the  number, 
arrangement  and  quality  of  fixtures,  that  you  can  judge  quite 
closely  of  the  cost.  When  such  is  the  case  and  you  feel  that  the 
job  you  are  figuring  is  not  going  to  be  figured  down  to  the  danger 
point  by  your  competitors,  it  may  be  safe  for  you  to  use  your 
judgment  and  make  a  price  yourself.  In  order  to  school  your 
judgment  on  plumbing  costs  it  is  a  good  plan  to  count,  and  make 
note  of,  the  number  of  fixtures  in  the  building,  and  then  when 
you  have  received  your  bids  from  plumbers  and  chosen  the  one 
you  will  use  in  making  up  your  figure,  you  can  work  out  the 
cost  per  fixture  for  this  job.  If  this  is  done  on  every  job  you 
figure  or  do  you  will  soon  have  quite  a  line  on  the  plumbing 
costs,  and  as  above  suggested  there  will  be  jobs  figuring  from 
time  to  time  that  will  compare  favorably  with  these  first  men- 
tioned ones,  and  then  you  can  make  a  reasonably  close  and  safe 
figure  yourself.  In  enumerating  fixtures,  count  one  for  each  of 
the  following :  watercloset,  bathtub,  lavatory,  sink,  kitchen  boiler, 
set  of  trays,  each  urinal  in  a  range  of  urinals,  large  house  tank, 
large  brick  set  grease  trap,  etc. 

Gas  Piping 

In  the  average  run  of  work  the  cost  per  outlet  is  standard  in 
each  locality.  Knowing  the  standard  price  per  outlet,  figuring 
the  cost  of  installing  the  system  of  piping  then  becomes  simply 
a  matter  of  counting  the  outlets  and  multiplying  by  the  cost  in 
your  locality.  Your  own  judgment  will  tell  you  that  if  the  out- 
lets are  very  much  spread  out  more  piping  must  be  run  in  order 

120 


PLUMBING,  GAS-PIPING,  ELECTRIC  WORK,  HEATING     121 

to  install  the  system  than  if  of  about  the  average  distance  apart 
and  arrangement.  This  state  of  affairs  will  of  course  increase 
the  price  per  outlet.  The  same  rule  carried  to  the  opposite  ex- 
treme will  reverse  the  matter,  making  less  piping  to  install  a 
given  number  of  outlets,  thus  making  cost  per  outlet  less. 

By  counting  and  entering  on  the  estimate  sheet  the  number 
of  outlets,  and  then  looking  over  the  arrangement  of  them  on 
the  plans,  you  can  readily  judge  about  what  proportion  to  in- 
crease or  decrease  your  standard  "outlet  price"  for  the  job  in 
hand.  As  the  gas-piping  is  usually  such  a  very  small  percentage 
of  the  whole  work  a  little  difference  in  cost,  either  way,  will  have 
but  a  very  slight  effect  upon  your  total  figure  for  the  work. 
When  you  actually  let  the  piping  job  take  note  of  the  price  per 
outlet  and  thus  check  and  cultivate  your  judgment. 

Electric  Light  Wiring 

Practically  all  that  I  have  said  in  regard  to  gas  piping  applies 
to  electric  light  wiring.  There  are  two  classes  of  light  wiring: 
one  called  conduit  work,  which  consists  of  a  system  of  tubes  or 
pipes  similar  to  gas  piping,  running  to  all  outlets  and  switches 
and  arranged  in  such  a  way  that  all  circuits  can  be  made  and 
into  which  the  wires  are  drawn  by  means  of  a  long  flexible  piece 
of  steel  called  a  snake. 

The  other  system  is  called  knob  and  tube  work,  the  wires  being 
run  on  earthenware  knobs,  and  where  passing  through  joists  or 
studs,  through  short  sections  of  earthenware  tubes. 

For  each  class  of  wiring  there  is  about  a  standard  price  per 
outlet  for  the  general  run  of  work,  and  by  posting  yourself  on 
these  prices  you  can  make  fairly  close  estimates.  If  the  work  is 
of  a  complicated  character  it  will  be  wiser  and  safer  to  have  sub- 
bids  from  electrical  contractors,  using  in  your  estimate  the 
lowest  figure. 

If,  when  estimating  a  job,  you  will  count  the  outlets  and  then 
work  out  the  price  per  outlet  from  your  lowest  sub-bid,  you  can 
obtain  information  in  regard  to  costs  for  future  use. 

Heating 

Estimating  the  cost  of  heating  a  building  with  any  degree  of 
accuracy  is  very  difficult  except  to  a  trained  heating  man,  and 


122  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

unless  the  job  in  hand  compares  in  size,  system  and  general  Con- 
ditions for  performing  work,  with  some  plant  you  have  recently 
had  installed,  it  is  safer  to  call  a  heating  contractor  and  have 
sub-bids  for  the  work,  using,  in  making  up  your  figures,  the 
lowest  bid  received,  if  from  responsible  parties.  There  will  be 
times,  however,  when  the  plant  is  so  decidedly  like  something 
you  have  done  before  that  you  can  note  any  minor  changes  that 
would  increase  or  decrease  the  cost,  and  use  your  judgment  as 
to  the  probable  change  in  price  on  account  of  the  differences. 

Most  contracts  made  with  general  contractors  to-day  are  ex- 
clusive of  plumbing,  heating  and  electric  work,  so  you  will  seldom 
be  called  upon  to  figure  these  parts  of  a  building.  Notwith- 
standing this  you  will  be  wise  to  make  notes  as  to  the  quantity 
and  quality  of  each  of  the  parts  of  the  work  and  if  possible  find 
out  what  they  are  costing.  The  information  thus  obtained  will 
be  of  great  help  to  you  in  judging  costs  or  letting  contracts^  for 
these  parts  of  a  building. 

Having  now  considered  all  of  the  various  items  going  to  make 
up  the  average  building  we  next  take  up  matters  that  are  not 
often  mentioned  in  the  specifications,  but,  nevertheless,  just  as 
necessary  to  consider,  as  they  add  to  the  cost  of  the  whole  work. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

Miscellaneous  Expenses,  Lockers,  Profits,  Etc. 

In  the  very  first  part  of  this  article  I  suggested  visiting  the 
site  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  under  what  conditions  you  would 
be  compelled  to  work.  Having  done  this  you  found  out  the  cost 
of  making  a  round  trip,  also  cost  of  board  and  lodging  in  the 
vicinity  and  other  similar  details.  Now  make  up  your  mind  how 
long  the  work  will  take;  how  many  times  you  or  your  super- 
intendent will  probably  have  to  visit  the  job  while  the  work  is 
being  put  through;  how  many  mechanics  you  will  send  whose 
fare  and  board  you  will  have  to  pay,  and  any  other  minor  items 
of  cost  of  a  similar  nature  you  will  be  put  to  on  account  of  the 
work.  Compute  these  estimated  costs  and  enter  upon  your  esti- 
mate sheet  under  the  head  of  expense. 

Watchman 

If  you  are  going  to  employ  a  watchman  figure  up  his  wages 
for  the  length  of  time  you  expect  to  keep  him,  making  this  an 
item  on  estimate  sheet,  as  shown  in  Fig.  35. 

Sundry  Expenses 

On  a  job  of  any  size  there  are  a  number  of  little  items  of  cost, 
each  in  itself  quite  small,  but  in  the  aggregate  sometimes  totaling 
quite  a  sum.  Among  them  are  such  items  as  follows:  building 
plan  and  tool  lockers  and  sheds  to  protect  materials;  fences, 
walks  or  barricades  over  dangerous  places  to  provide  for  public 
travel,  or  your  own  convenience  in  handling  the  work  or  pro- 
tecting your  help ;  cleaning  up  and  carting  away  debris,  resulting 
from  building  operations,  from  time  to  time ;  protection  of  trees, 
shrubbery,  lawns,  walks,  etc. ;  sanitary  provision  for  the  work- 
men; water  for  building  purposes;  final  cleaning  of  building, 
washing  windows,  etc. ;  telephone  connections ;  insurance  and 
bond;  and  so  on  indefinitely.  On  a  building  we  recently  con- 
structed, costing  about  $160,000,  I  found  upon  tabulating  the 

123 


124 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


cost  of  the  above  items  that  they  amounted  to  nearly  2  per  cent, 
of  the  total  cost  of  the  work.  Thus  you  see  that  it  is  wise  to  con- 
sider these  items  collectively,  or  in  some  cases  individually,  en- 


#- 


o 


7337^  g^-/A    =• 


o 


FIG.  35 — ESTIMATE  SHEET  No.  9 

tering  upon  your  estimate  sheet  their  probable  cost.  In  deter- 
mining this  amount  you  will  have  to  be  governed  largely  by 
your  judgment,  based  on  previous  experience.  By  taking  these 
items  one  by  one  and  judging  the  cost  of  each,  then  adding  for 
a  total,  you  will  be  apt  to  arrive  at  a  probable  cost  much  more 
accurately  than  by  lumping  them.  Keep  the  cost  of  these  items 


MISCELLANEOUS  EXPENSES  125 

on  the  next  job  you  do  and  you  will  be  surprised  at  the  amount 
of  money  they  will  run  into,  on  a  job  of  any  size. 

Total  Cost 

Now,  having  considered  all  the  items  going  to  make  up  the 
completed  structure  found  in  the  specifications  and  some  that 
are  not  mentioned,  but  just  as  necessary  to  a  complete  execution 
of  the  work  within  the  meaning  of  the  said  specifications,  plans 
and  contract,  we  now  bring  the  total  of  each  sheet  to  the  last 
one,  setting  them  down  in  their  order,  and  adding  for  the  total 
estimated  cost.  This  we  find  to  be  $30,684.12. 

Profit 

If  you  expect  to  remain  long  in  business  you  must  have  profits. 
Just  how  much  this  should  be,  you  are  your  own  best  judge.  If 
you  are  doing  business  in  a  small  way,  are  your  own  foreman 
and  have  no  office  to  maintain,  bookkeeper  to  pay,  or  other  kin- 
dred expenses,  the  amount  you  add  to  the  estimated  cost  will 
represent  nearly  net  profit;  assuming,  of  course,  that  your  es- 
timate has  been  carefully  made  and  that  you  can  make  it  work 
out  substantially  as  you  have  figured. 

If  you  have  to  maintain  offices,  superintendent,  bookkeeper, 
stenographer,  telephone,  team,  etc.,  you  have  a  certain  fixed 
expense  per  year  which  you  can  readily  total  up.  Now  this  can 
be  figured  to  a  percentage  of  the  total  business  you  can,  or  do, 
handle  per  year.  Having  ascertained  this  percentage  you  must 
take  it  into  account  in  putting  profit  on  the  job.  For  instance, 
if  you  want  to  make  a  net  profit  of  10  per  cent,  on  the  job  upon 
which  you  are  bidding  and  you  find  that  the  office  expense  aver- 
ages about  3  per  cent.,  your  gross  profit  should  be  13  per  cent.; 
so  we  add  13  per  cent,  to  the  total  estimated  cost,  making  the 
bid  for  the  work  $34,673.  Our  own  experience  has  been  that 
the  fixed  expenses  of  doing  business,  on  a  basis  of  our  doing 
about  $250,000  per  year,  are  about  3  per  cent.  This  includes  a 
fixed  salary  for  each  partner  per  year  and  all  expenses  con- 
nected with  running  the  office,  shop  and  yard,  etc.  In  talking 
with  other  contractors  I  find  that  they  have  fixed  expenses  from 
the  above  to  as  high  as  7  or  8  per  cent.  Success  in  doing  busi- 
ness in  the  contracting  lines  in  a  great  measure  depends  upon 


126  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

holding  down  the  fixed  expenses,  or,  in  other  words,  doing  the 
maximum  of  business  with  the  minimum  of  expense. 

Area  and  Contents  of  Building 

Now  that  our  building  is  all  figured  up  it  is  an  excellent  plan 
to  make  note  of  the  area  and  cubical  contents  of  the  building 
and  to  figure  out,  from  the  estimated  cost,  the  cost  per  square 
and  per  cubic  foot. 

In  order  to  have  the  information  thus  obtained  of  any  value 
to  you,  the  method  of  measuring  every  job  must  be  as  nearly 
uniform  as  possible.  There  cannot  be  much  chance  for  a  lack  of 
uniformity  in  obtaining  areas,  but  there  are  great  chances  in 
computing  cubical  contents.  I  will  give  you  my  methods  for 
computing  these  quantities  and  trust  that  they  may  be  of  value 
to  you. 

Areas 

Compute  the  area  of  the  first  floor  from  outside  to  outside  of 
walls ;  if  the  building  is  irregular  in  shape  divide  by  imaginary 
lines  into  squares,  rectangles,  triangles,  etc.,  and  compute  each 
division  and  add  for  total  area.  In  the  case  of  a  dwelling  or 
similar  structure  with  piazzas,  measure  same  and  add  to  area  of 
main  building  one-half  of  their  area.  If  the  second  -story  over- 
hangs the  whole  or  any  part  of  piazzas,  treat  that  particular 
part  same  as  main  house,  adding  full  area  to  first  floor  area. 
Porches,  piazzas  without  roofs,  unless  quite  extensive,  bulk- 
heads, etc.,  take  no  notice  of. 

Enter  the  area  obtained  on  the  estimate  sheet.  Now  divide  the 
amount  of  estimate,  as  completed,  by  the  number  of  square  feet, 
thus  obtaining  the  price  per  square  foot  which  the  building  in 
hand  figures.  In  this  case  it  is  practically  $7.20. 

To  obtain  the  cubic  contents  multiply  the1  area  obtained  for 
the  first  floor,  exclusive  of  the  piazzas,  by  the  height  of  the  build- 
ing, taken  from  the  bottom  of  the  footings  to  the  average  height 
of  the  roof.  Multiply  the  area  of  the  piazzas  by  their  height 
taken  from  the  bottom  of  the  piers,  or  other  foundation,  to  the 
average  height  of  their  roofs;  in  case  of  a  flat  roof  surmounted 
by  a  balustrade,  take  height  to  the  top  of  balustrade.  In  case  of 
an  uncovered  piazza  or  platform  take  height  from  bottom  of  piers 


MISCELLANEOUS  EXPENSES,  ETC.  127 

to  floor  of  platform,  or  top  of  balustrade  if  there  is  one.  In  a 
similar  manner  cube  all  principal  flights  of  outside  steps,  bulk- 
heads, etc. 

Now  add  all  the  cubic  contents  thus  obtained  together  for  the 
total,  entering  said  total  contents  on  estimate  sheet. 

Having  done  this  compute  from  the  estimated  cost  the  cost  per 
cubic  foot.  With  the  contents  assumed  for  the  building  we  are 
dealing  with,  the  cost  is  practically  20  cents  per  cubic  foot,  as 
shown  in  Fig.  35. 

If  you  will  take  the  trouble  to  always  work  out  the  square  and 
cubic  foot  costs  on  every  building  you  figure  or  build  you  will 
find  that  the  information  thus  obtained  will  be  of  great  value  to 
you,  especially  in  approximating  the  cost  of  prospective  build- 
ings for  owners  or  architects. 

If  you  have  several  hundred  estimates  to  look  back  to  you  can 
always  find  several  that  compare  favorably  with  the  building 
you  want  to  approximate,  thus  having  a  price  at  hand  to  use  for 
such  figuring.  You  can  also  check  your  detailed  estimate  to 
some  extent  by  the  cubic  foot  price.  For  instance,  if  you  were 
to  figure  a  similar  building  to"  the  one  we  have  just  been  through 
together  a  month  from  now,  when  there  has  been  no  material 
change  in  price  of  stock  and  labor,  and  upon  working  out  a  cubic 
foot  price  it  came  out,  say,  13J  cents,  you  should  go  over  your  fig- 
ures again  to  see  if  there  has  not  been  an  error  made  in  some  com- 
putation; or  addition  of  a  column  of  costs;  or  some  important 
item  omitted.  Failing  to  find  any  errors,  analyze  the  two' esti- 
mates side  by  side  and  account  for  any  such  difference  in  costs. 
If  there  is  any  such  difference  in  cost  there  are  reasons  for  it  and 
they  can  usually  be  found,  if  carefully  looked  for.  You  will 
be  surprised  to  find  how  near  the  costs  per  cubic  foot  will  run 
on  similar  buildings. 


CHAPTER  XXII 
Examples  of  Making  Approximate  Costs 

As  an  example  of  short  methods  for  determining  approximate 
costs,  I  will  give  in  detail  my  answer  to  a  correspondent  who 
wanted  information  in  regard  to  a  building  40  x  70  ft.  and  about 
20  ft.  high,  structure  to  be  of  cheap  construction,  roof  flat,  finish 
plain,  etc.,  same  to  be  built  for  some  summer  amusement  enter- 
prise. 

At  first  glance  I  should  say  in  reply  to  his  request  that  such 
a  building  was  worth  about  $.02J  per  cubic  foot.  The  cubic  feet 
may  be  computed  by  multiplying  the  size  of  the  building  as 
given,  40  x  70  ft.,  by  the  height  of  structure  from  grade  to  the 
average  height  of  the  roof.  Assuming  the  structure  to  be  built 
upon  posts  7  or  8  ft.  apart,  the  bottom  of  sill  to  be  about  1  ft. 
from  grade,  the  roof  to  have  a  pitch  of  J  in.  to  1  ft.,  the  ridge 
running  parallel  with  the  length  of  the  building  and  the  building 
being  20  ft.  high  from  bottom  of  sills  to  extreme  height  of  roof, 
there  is  a  total  height— grade  to  average  height  of  roof —of  prac- 
tically 20  ft.  Thus  40  x  70  x  20  ft.  gives  the  number  of  cubic 
feet  in  building,  making  56,000  cu.  ft.,  which  at  $.02^  per  foot 
makes  $1400.  In  this  manner  an  approximate  cost  is  arrived 
at  quickly,  but  you  must  be  in  possession  of  cubic  foot  costs  that 
have 'been  worked  out  in  other  structures  in  order  to  determine 
about  what  price  to  use. 

Now  to  analyze  this  building  for  approximate  cost  a  little 
more  thoroughly  and  thus  see  how  near  the  mark  we  come  when 
assuming  a  cost  of  $.02^  per  foot  let  me  demonstrate  another 
short  cut  in  estimating. 

I  will  assume  a  foundation  of  posts  about  8  ft.  apart,  set  about 
3  ft.  6  in.  in  the  ground  around  the  entire  outline  of  the  build- 
ing; also  two  rows  of  posts,  same  spacing,  the  length  of  the 
building,  for  girders  under  floor  joists.  This  would  make  60 
posts,  which,  set  in  place  and  cut  off  to  receive  sills  and  girders, 
would  be  worth  at  least  $1  each,  making  $60. 

Next  there  is  a  floor  area  of  2800  sq.  ft.    Joists  could  not  be 


EXAMPLES  OF  MAKING  APPROXIMATE  COSTS  129 

much  less  than  2  x  8  in.  placed  20  in,  on  centers,  and  if  of  this 
size  and  spacing  each  square  foot  of  floor  area  would  require  £ 
i't.  B.  M.  of  frame.  In  order  to  cover  sills,  girders  and  waste, 
I  call  it  1J  ft.  B.  M.  per  square  foot  of  floor.  Now  work  out  a 
cost  per  square  foot  for  first  floor  complete,  thus: 

Frame:    \y4  ft.  B.  M.  in  place $.0375 

Under  floor:    cheap  sq.  edged  stock,  %  waste,  1ft  ft.  B.  M 028 

Upper  floor:    No.  1  maple  or  A  Rift  Ala.  pine,  y$  waste,  \y$  ft.  B.  M.  .073 

Total  approximate  cost  per  sq.  ft.  of  floor $.1385 

This  comes  out  so  near  to  $.14  per  square  foot  that  I  figure  the 
2800  sq.  ft.  at  that  price,  making  $392. 

Now  I  take  the  outside  walls.  The  perimeter  of  the  building 
is  220  ft.  This  multiplied  by  the  height,  which  averages  about 
19  ft.  6  in.,  gives  us  the  area  of  the  walls,  same  being  about 
4290  sq.  ft.  I  will  assume  2x4  studding  20  in.  on  centers  cov- 
ered with  some  form  of  siding,  and  work  out  a  price  per  square 
foot  as  follows : 

2x4  in.,  20  in.  o.  c.  =  f  ft.  B.  M.  to  each  square  foot  of  wall. 

Allowing  something  for  waste,  call  it  y2  ft.  B.  M.  per  foot,  costing  in 

place  $.02 

1  sq.  ft.  siding,  plus  y±  waste  =  1*4  ft.  B.  M.  per  sq.  ft.  of  wall.  Same 

of  coarse  pine  or  cypress,  $.04  per  ft.  in  place 05 

Total  approximate  cost  per  sq.  ft.  of  walls $.07 

4290  sq.  ft.  at  $.07  per  square  foot  makes  $300.30. 

I  now  take  up  the  cost  of  the  roof,  assuming  that  there  is  a 
40-ft.  span,  which  will  require  either  trusses  or  columns  and 
girders  to  support  same.  I  will  call  the  rafters  2x6  in.,  18  in. 
on  centers,  which  equals  f  ft.  B.  M.  of  frame  per  square  foot  of 
roof.  Without  going  into  a  lot  of  figuring  to  determine  accu- 
rately how  much  lumber  would  be  required  for  trusses,  I  assume 
a  quantity  equal  to  that  already  figured  out  for  rafters,  thus 
making  each  square  foot  of  roof  take  1^  ft.  B.  M.  net  of  frame. 
Add  something  to  this  for  waste  and  call  it  1^  ft.  B.  M.,  and 
work  out  a  cost  per  square  foot  of  roof. 

\y2  ft.  B.  M.  frame,  in  place $.045 

1*4  ft.  B.  M.  %-in.  match  spruce  or  hemlock  cevering  (waste  allowed) 

per  sq.  ft.  of  roof,  in  place 0325 

1  sq.  ft.  ready  roofing,  in  place 03 

Total  approximate  cost  per  sq.  ft.  of  roof $.1075 


130  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Allowing  for  slight  overhang  of  roof  I  call  area  of  it  2900  sq. 
ft,  which  at  $.1075  per  foot  makes  $311.75. 

I  next  consider  the  doors  and  windows.  Six  windows  com- 
plete I  figure  as  worth  about  $5  apiece,  not  stopping  to  go  into 
an  analysis  of  the  cost,  knowing  without  doing  so  that  anything 
in  the  shape  of  a  double  hung  window  of  average  size  is  worth 
at  least  that  amount.  This  makes  $30  for  windows.  There  are 
to  be  three  doors,  and  these  I  figure  at  $8  each,  complete,  making 
$24.  Now  I  allow  something,  say  $40,  for  such  outside  finish  as 
would  be  required,  and  the  whole  ground,  except  painting,  is 
covered  with  sufficient  accuracy  for  an  approximate  cost. 

Assuming  that  walls  would  have  two  coats  of  paint  outside 
and  that  there  would  be  some  little  painting  inside  about  doors 
and  windows,  I  refer  to  my  wall  area  (4290  sq.  ft.)  and  imme- 
diately call  this  500  sq.  yd.,  which  at  $.12  per  yard  for  two  coats 
of  cheap  paint  makes  the  cost  of  painting  $60.  Thus  I  have 
as  costs: 

60  posts  set  complete $  60.00 

2,800  sq.  ft.  first  floor,  complete 392.00 

4,290  sq.  ft.  walls,  complete 300.30 

2,900  sq.  ft.  roof  complete 311.75 

6  windows,  complete 30.00 

3  doors,  complete   * 24.00 

Outside  finish,  etc 40.00 

Painting    60.00 

Total    $1,218.05 

To  this  total  must  be  added  something  to  cover  overhead  ex- 
penses and  for  profit,  and  I  should  consider  10  per  cent,  little 
enough,  so  I  add  $121.80  to  the  approximate  net  cost  of  $1218.05, 
making  $1339.85.  Having  arrived  at  this  last  amount  as  rep- 
resenting the  cost  of  the  structure  plus  a  fair  profit,  I  would  be 
prepared  to  tell  a  prospective  owner  or  architect  that  a  building 
of  this  character  and  size  could  be  built  from  $1200  to  $1400, 
the  exact  price  depending  upon  circumstances  of  site,  size  and 
spacing  of  timber,  quality  of  materials  used,  etc.,  and  the  amount 
of  profit  a  contractor  happened  to  want  at  the  time  of  figuring. 

Since  writing  the  above  I  have  looked  back  in  my  estimates 
for  something  similar  in  the  way  of  a  building  and  found  my 
estimate  made  in  April,  1907,  for  a  structure  of  the  same  char- 


EXAMPLES  OF  MAKING  APPROXIMATE  COSTS  131 

acter,  which  we  built  in  Wonderland  Park,  Revere,  Mass.  This 
building  was  30  x  98  ft.,  and  practically  23  ft.  high,  and  on  the 
basis  of  our  bid  figured  out  $.02}  per  cubic  ft.  The  building 
was  erected  upon  12  to  14  ft.  spruce  piles,  driven  into  the  marsh 
by  a  hand  machine,  and  the  facade  was  quite  ornamental.  Other- 
wise, the  similarity  between  the  two  buildings  is  very  marked, 
if  I  draw  correct  inferences  from  the  correspondent's  description 
of  his  proposed  structure.  Our  price  as  above  gave  us  a  reason- 
able profit. 

I  have  taken  some  time  and  used  a  good  many  words  in  de- 
scribing this  method  of  making  an  approximate  figure,  but  I 
made  the  actual  computation  in  about  6  minutes  before  starting 
to  explain  them,  and  if  the  correspondent  is  half  a  mathema- 
tician he  can  do  likewise. 


PART  V 

Estimating  the  Cost  of  Building 
Alterations 


CHAPTER     XXIII 

Razing,  Shoring  and  Temporary  Protection 

In  the  preceding  chapters  on  the  subject  of  estimating  I  as- 
sumed a  new  building  for  the  purpose  of  illustration.  I  think  I 
made  it  plain,  although  I  do  not  recall  having  expressed  it  in  so 
many  words,  that  I  do  not  consider  the  estimating  of  costs  of 
buildings  an  exact  science.  While  results  are  reached,  as  a  rule, 
by  various  mathematical  processes,  the  element  of  judgment  en- 
ters so  largely  into  each  and  every  item,  especially  in  methods 
of  measuring  plans  for  quantities,  allowances  for  Avaste  and 
determining  cost  of  labor,  that  on  the  whole  such  estimating  may 
be  considered  more  as  an  art  than  a  science. 

I  doubt  if  it  will  be  questioned  that  determining  the  probable 
cost  of  alterations  and  remodeling  operations  requires  the  exer- 
cise of  even  greater  judgment  than  new  work.  Nearly  all  that 
I  wrote  on  the  main  subject  in  the  preceding  chapters  can  be 
applied  in  a  measure  to  the  work  now  in  hand,  and  in  the  mat- 
ter to  follow  I  will  try  and  bring  out  details  of  the  subject 
especially  applicable  to  alteration  work. 

In  the  first  place,  have  a  method  or  system  and  stick  as  close 
to  it  as  circumstances  will  permit.  My  former  chapters  sug- 
gested taking  up  the  items  in  the  order  in  which  they  appear 
in  the  specifications,  not  forgetting  meanwhile  some  matters  sel- 
dom or  never  mentioned  there.  In  case  there  are  no  specifications 
take  up  the  items  in  the  logical  order  in  which  the  work  would 
be  done. 

Before  beginning  to  figure  at  all  you  should  visit  the  building 
which  it  is  proposed  to  alter  and  carefully  note  existing  con- 
ditions. This  is  an  absolute  necessity,  as,  at  best,  it  is  difficult  to 
make  plans  for  an  alteration  show  with  accuracy  just  what  is  to 

132 


RAZING  AND  TEMPORARY  PROTECTION  133 

be  done.  The  plans  usually  make  plain  enough  the  end  sought, 
but  you  must  see  the  building  to  determine  with  any  accuracy 
the  cost  of  accomplishing  it. 

It  is  very  important  to  know  whether  you  are  going  to  have  a 
vacated  building  or  must. do  the  work  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
business  of  all  occupants  can  be  carried  on.  If  the  latter  is  the 
case  you  must  find  out  about  how  much  room  you  will  have  given 
you  at  a  time  in  which  to  work,  and  what  measures  for  the 
protection  of  occupants'  stocks  must  be  taken. 

These  two  questions  settled,  you  can  see  what  advantages  or 
disadvantages  you  will  have  to  work  under.  It  is  highly  prob- 
able that  some  work  will  have  to  be  done  overtime.  At  "double 
time"  and  by  artificial  light,  construction  work  of  all  kinds  is 
most  expensive— so  expensive,  in  fact,  as  to  be  prohibitive  at 
times. 

The  loose-leaf  book  sheets  described  and  used  in  my  former 
chapters  are  perfectly  adaptable  for  the  present  case,  and  as  the 
carrying  of  quantities  to  the  same  was  sufficiently  described 
there,  I  will  not  use  them  in  this  case,  but  stick  wholly  to  text. 

Razing 

This  is  the  first  and  usually  a  very  important  item.  Generally 
there  is  a  little  of  everything  to  pull  down  and  get  into  shape  to 
be  used  over  again  or  be  carted  away.  By  taking  each  part 
separately;  such  as  stone  work,  brick  work,  plastering,  frame, 
etc.,  and  analyzing  it  to  determine  the  probable  amount  of  labor 
involved,  and  adding  for  a  total,  a  much  closer  and  more  ac- 
curate estimate  will  be  made  than  if  you  try  to  consider  them 
collectively. 

Bear  in  mind  while  making  this  analysis,  that  such  of  the 
razed  materials  as  are  to  be  removed  must  be  brought  out  to 
some  place  accessible  to  the  teams.  In  some  cases  this  involves 
considerable  handling  under  adverse  circumstances.  In  any  case 
the  probable  cost  is  a  matter  of  judgment  rather  than  mathemat- 
ics. Where  materials  are  to  be  used  over  again  it  is  unwise  to 
make  any  allowance  for  them  unless  there  are  large  quantities 
in  excellent  shape.  There  are  any  number  of  little  items  and 
wholly  unforeseen  circumstances  that  develop  in  an  alteration 
job,  and  the  salvage  on  materials  is  needed  to  offset  them. 


134  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Shoring 

As  the  work  of  razing  progresses  many  existing  parts  that  are 
to  be  retained  must  be  shored.  As  most  of  the  material  used  in 
shoring  is  heavy  timber  or  old  steel  beams  kept  in  stock  for  the 
purpose,  the  cost  of  this  part  of  the  work  is  practically  all  labor 
and  teaming.  By  making  a  mental  survey  of  about  the  quantity 
of  material  required  one  may  judge  of  the  teaming  to  and  from 
the  job.  Now  by  taking  each  separate  wall,  floor  or  other  part 
to  be  shored,  and  mentally  analyzing,  we  are  able  to  determine 
the  probable  labor  required  to  place  shores  and  remove  them 
when  other,  or  permanent,  support  has  been  installed.  Labor 
of  cutting  needle  holes  in  brick  or  stone,  or  slots  in  masonry 
walls,  holes  through  floors  of  frame  or  other  construction,  must 
be  foreseen  and  taken  into  account. 

It  may  be  possible  to  do  all  shoring  on  a  large  job  without  a 
great  quantity  of  timber  and  iron  if  the  work  is  arranged  in 
such  a  way  as  to  permit  of  certain  parts  being  shored  and 
secured  and  then  the  material  may  be  used  over  several  times. 
This  saves  considerable  in  teaming,  but  it  must  be  a  matter  of 
judgment  with  you  whether  to  resort  to  this  saving  or  not,  as  it 
may  involve  other  expenditures  that  would  soon  more  than  offset 
any  saving  made.  In  the  large  cities  where  numbers  of  difficult 
and  extensive  jobs  of  shoring  are  done  every  year  there  are  con- 
tractors who  make  a  specialty  of  this  work,  and  there  will  be 
cases  when  it  will  be  advisable  for  you  to  take  sub-bids  and 
sublet  such  work  to  one  of  these  men. 

Temporary  Partitions 

These  are  usually  made  of  matched  stock  J  in.  thick.  In  cases 
where  extreme  precautions  must  be  taken  against  dust  it  is 
customary  to  paste  paper  on  the  exposed  side.  I  have  found 
that  the  cheapest  way  to  paper  partitions  if  there  is  much  area, 
is  to  have  a  paper  hanger  do  the  work,  using  wall  paper  that 
can  be  found  in  any  wall  paper  store,  that  is  out  of  style,  and 
can  be  purchased  for  2  or  3  cents  per  roll.  This  should  be  put 
on  with  the  face  of  paper  toward  boards,  thus  leaving  the  plain 
color  of  back  in  sight,  and  two  thicknesses  should  be  applied, 
otherwise  the  boards  will  season  enough  in  a  few  days  to  break 


RAZING  AND  TEMPORARY  PROTECTION  135 

the  paper  at  each  joint.  By  assuming  imaginary  lines  on  your 
plan  in  the  various  places  where  you  have  concluded  that  these 
partitions  will  have  to  be  erected,  it  is  a  simple  matter  to  obtain 
areas  and  quantity  of  stock  required. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

Masonry,  Iron  and  Steel,  Roof  and  Metal  Work 

Most  excavation  in  alteration  work  has  to  be  done  under  very 
adverse  conditions,  and  the  labor  involved  to  get  excavated 
material  to  the  street  or  to  the  teams  must  be  taken  into  account. 
As  the  conditions  are  seldom  twice  alike  the  cost  is  all  a  matter 
of  judgment.  You  must  frequently  excavate  considerably  more 
than  strictly  implied  by  the  plans,  in  order  to  make  room  in 
which  to  handle  materials  or  to  give  the  men  a  chance  to  work. 
After  listing  on  the  estimate  sheet  the  dimensions  of  the  several 
excavations  you  must  mentally  average  the  conditions  and  deter- 
mine upon  a  price  per  cubic  yard,  or  other  unit,  including  the 
disposition  of  the  material,  on  the  premises  or  elsewhere.  Under 
conditions  frequently  occurring  in  our  city  (Boston)  the  cost, 
including  teaming  away,  will  be  as  high  as  $2  per  cubic  yard. 

Concrete  Foundation  Work 

It  is  generally  easy  to  locate  on  the  plan  the  new  foundations, 
and  there  should  be  sections  showing  thicknesses  and  other  par- 
ticulars. If  no  sections  are  shown  you  must  use  your  judgment 
and  take  the  chances.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  the  larger  part  of 
our  architects  give  very  meager  sections,  either  from  their  in- 
ability to  foresee  conditions  or  unwillingness  to  spend  the  time 
and  money  necessary  to  have  test  pits  dug  side  of  existing  foun- 
dations, so  that  it  may  be  known  to  a  certainty  what  conditions 
exist.  There  is  no  difference  in  the  method  of  taking  off  quan- 
tities or  entering  dimensions  on  the  estimate  sheet  than  would 
be  the  case  in  a  new  building.  There  may  be,  however,  and  there 
usually  is,  a  great  difference  in  the  cost,  and  practically  all  of  it 
comes  in  the  labor.  Frequently  the  concrete  must  be  mixed  in 
an  alley  or  a  distant  part  of  the  cellar,  then  carried  in  pails  or 
mortar  hods  to  the  location  of  the  work  and  be  deposited  in 
shovelsful.  These  conditions,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  there 
is  seldom  much  in  bulk  in  a  place,  and  many  places,  make  the 
cost  run  from  $8  to  $15  per  cubic  yard  for  the  ordinary  mixtures. 
Pick  out  what  seems  to  be  an  average  piece  of  foundation  and 

136 


MASONRY,  IRON  AND  STEEL,  ETC.  137 

picture  yourself  there  with  the  help  and  putting  it  in.  Arriving 
at  what  you  consider  a  fair  estimate  of  the  labor,  figure  out 
what  it  would  be  per  cubic  yard  for  the  number  of  yards  in  the 
piece  of  your  foundation  used  for  the  experiment,  and  you  have 
a  fairly  accurate  cost  per  yard  for  labor,  to  which  you  can  add 
costs  of  materials,  which  latter  would  be  as  usual  in  any  work, 
old  or  new,  thus  obtaining  a  price  per  yard  to  use  for  the  whole 
quantity. 

All  my  explanations  above  for  concrete  apply  fully  to  foun- 
dations of  other  materials.  The  price  might  be  different  on  ac- 
count of  local  conditions,  but  the  method  of  arriving  at  a  cost 
would  be  the  same  as  for  concrete. 

Concrete  Floors 

Areas  of  new  concrete  floors  would  differ  in  no  way  but  price 
(and  this  all  on  the  labor)  from  new  work.  In  making  good 
existing  floors,  where  they  have  been  broken  out  to  get  in  new 
foundations,  pipe  trenches,  etc.,  do  not  measure  or  assume  too 
small  an  area.  Nine  times  out  of  ten,  unless  you  are  there  your- 
self, about  twice  as  much  as  was  necessary  will  be  broken  out. 
This  statement  about  cutting  out  to  admit  of  the  installation  of 
new  parts  holds  good  on  more  than  this  one  item.  In  fact,  it 
must  be  borne  constantly  in  mind  when  figuring  an  alteration 
of  any  kind.  In  making  price  of  concrete  floors  picture  to  your- 
self the  disadvantages  under  which  the  particular  job  in  hand 
will  have  to  be  done  and  be  governed  accordingly. 

Brick  Work 

The  brick  work  found  in  the  usual  alteration  job  would  not 
be  altogether  unlike  that  in  a  new  building.  The  only  difference 
that  amounts  to  anything  is  that  instead  of  the  continuous  and 
connected  walls,  there  are  detached  walls,  parts  of  walls,  open- 
ings made  or  filled  up,  etc.  The  work  being  thus  disconnected 
and  scattered,  will  cost  a  great  deal  more  for  labor  than  would 
be  the  case  under  normal  conditions.  In  making  a  survey  of 
the  number  of  brick  required  it  is  seldom  advisable  to  take  into 
account  any  old  brick  taken  out,  as  the  cleaning  and  care  of 
these  latter  until  such  time  as  they  can  be  used,  usually  costs  as 
much  as  new  brick  delivered  when  and  where  wanted.  Quanti- 


138  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

ties  should  be  entered  on  your  estimate  sheet  the  same  as  dem- 
onstrated for  new  brick  work  (see  estimate  sheets  in  preceding 
chapters).  In  taking  off  quantities  I  always  disregard  all  open- 
ings cut  in  existing  brick  work  for  doors,  windows,  etc.,  and 
immediately  after  making  brick  survey,  count  and  enter  on  esti- 
mate sheet  the  number  of  these  openings,  noting  the  average 
size  of  same  and  thickness  of  walls  in  which  they  occur. 

In  making  a  price  per  1000,  laid,  proceed  the  same  as  for  new 
brick  work,  taking  care  to  fully  consider  the  question  of  labor 
before  assuming  the  probable  cost.  In  my  judgment  a  first-class 
mason  will  only  be  able  to  lay  one-half  as  many  brick  per  day 
as  on  new  work,  on  account  of  the  usual  peculiar  disadvantages 
attending  alteration  work.  Now  consider  the  openings  to  be  cut 
in  walls :  The  cost  in  this  case  is  probably  from  90  to  95  per 
cent,  labor,  so  that  in  most  cases  you  can  consider  it  purely  a 
labor  item.  Picture  yourself  cutting  the  average  opening  and 
toothing  and  bricking  up  the  new  jambs.  Having  determined 
to  your  own  satisfaction  how  long  it  would  take,  figure  the  cost 
of  labor  involved,  not  forgetting  before  carrying  said  cost  to  the 
estimate  sheet,  that  you  are  not  going  to  cut  these  holes  yourself, 
but  that  some  man  in  your  employ  about  half  as  interested  to 
see  it  done  as  you  are,  will  do  the  work,  and  adjust  the  supposed 
cost  accordingly. 

The  item  of  washing  and  pointing  will  invariably  cost  more 
than  on  new  work  of  equal  area.  This  work,  in  either  case  being 
almost  wholly  a  matter  of  judgment  as  well  as  labor,  must  be 
analyzed  as  such  and  in  the  same  manner  as  in  Chapter  IX. 

Cut  Stone 

The  only  difference  in  cost  of  cut  stone  of  any  kind,  or  orna- 
mental terra  cotta,  would  be  the  additional  labor  involved  in 
setting  it  under  adverse  conditions,  and  with  little  or  no  rigging 
in  many  cases.  Being  wholly  a  matter  of  judgment,  you  can  see 
the  great  benefit  of  having  some  reliable  data  at  hand  from 
which  to  draw  conclusions.  Otherwise  the  estimate  for  cost  is 
a  guess,  pure  and  simple. 

I  do  not  know  of  anything  I  can  say  in  regard  to  terra  cotta 
floor  arches  and  partition  blocks,  or  reinforced  concrete  floors, 


MASONRY,  IRON  AND  STEEL,  ETC.  139 

other  than  that  you  must  fully  consider  the  labor  cost  per  unit 
of  each  of  the  above  items,  and  make  it  sufficient  to  cover  the 
cost  on  the  particular  job  in  hand,  considering  all  of  the  sur- 
rounding conditions  tending  to  make  whole  more  expensive. 

Iron  and  Steel 

The  process  of  taking  quantities  from  plans  would  be  no  dif- 
ferent than  in  the  case  of  new  work,  except  that,  as  generally 
drawn,  plans  for  alterations  are  apt  to  be  somewhat  vague,  and 
the  architect,  to  protect  himself  and  the  owner,  embodies  clauses 
in  the  specifications  that  compel  the  builder  to  "supply  all 
needed  materials  whether  shown  or  specified"  to  accomplish  the 
desired  result.  While  this  is  decidedly  wrong,  there  seems  to  be 
no  immediate  help  for  contractors,  on  account  of  the  general 
lack  of  organization  among  them.  This  makes  it  necessary  for 
the  builder,  when  estimating,  to  foresee  the  possible  wants  of 
the  job  beyond  that  shown  and  listed,  and  figure  upon  them. 
Having  found  and  listed  all  of  the  iron  and  steel  shown  and 
"implied,"  compute  into  pounds  and  set  a  price.  The  cost  of 
setting  will  usually  be  as  much  as  double  that  of  new  work  for 
reasons  before  stated,  and  not  infrequently  the  handling  and 
setting  will  cost  as  much  as  the  material  itself. 

We  recently  had  occasion  to  set  eight  2-ton  girders  and  six 
1-ton  columns  all  built  up  of  structural  shapes  and  costing  $70 
per  ton  delivered,  where  the  cost  of  erection  exceeded  the  cost 
of  material,  being  about  $75  per  ton.  These  girders  went  into 
the  ceiling  and  the  columns  extended  through  the  first  floor  to 
the  foundations  in  the  cellar,  in  a  large  and  busy  jewelry  store, 
where  business  was  never  suspended  for  a  moment  during  the 
operation.  All  handling  was  done  with  hand  rigging,  and  every- 
thing was  taken  into  the  second-story  windows  and  lowered  into 
place,  preparations  having  been  made  for  this  by  building  tun- 
nels on  the  store  ceiling— which  fortunately  was  quite  high— 
for  the  girders  and  boxes  about  4  ft.  square  through  the  store 
in  which  to  lower  and  set  the  columns.  While  circumstances  are 
seldom  as  adverse  as  this,  they  are  usually  of  such  a  nature  as 
to  require  the  exercise  of  fine  judgment  to  arrive  at  a  safe 
probable  cost  for  labor. 


140  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Roofing  and  Metal  Work — Marble  and  Mosaic  Work 

Roofing  and  metal  work,  and  marble  and  mosaic  work,  are  sub- 
ject to  the  same  changes  in  price  as  most  other  items  entering 
into  alterations,  but,  as  a  rule,  the  increase  is  not  so  marked. 
There  would  be  no  material  change  in  method  of  listing  quanti- 
ties, but  care  must  be  used  where  old  and  new  work  join,  to 
figure  enough  material.  There  will  be  cases  where  it  will  be 
cheaper  to  tear  away  and  dispose  of  existing  work  and  supply 
new  than  to  retain  same,  even  though  the  plans  and  specifications 
permit  of  said  retention.  A  little  analysis  of  questionable  parts 
should  determine  for  you  the  better  course  to  pursue  in  esti- 
mating. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

Carpenter  Work,  Plastering,  Painting,  Plumbing,  Etc. 

In  alteration  work  that,  is  not  too  extensive  I  should  make  one 
item  of  frame,  boards  and  furring,  entering  on  estimate  sheet 
the  quantities  of  each  item,  care  being  taken  to  extend  your 
measurements  sufficiently  to  care  for  all  razing  of  existing  parts 
thought  probable  or  possible.  Compute  into  feet,  B.  M.,  and  add 
for  a  total  and  determine  upon  a  price  for  labor  of  installation. 
Having  settled  this  latter,  compute  total  price  per  ' '  unit ' '  ( 1000 
ft.,  B.  M.)  labor  and  stock  and  carry  out  this  price. 

Materials  resulting  from  the  razing  of  parts  of  the  work  and 
stock  bought  and  used  for  staging,  temporary  partitions,  may 
frequently  be  used,  but  old  and  second-hand  materials  always 
involve  more  labor,  and  to  hold  same  on  premises  and  care  for 
them  until  such  times  as  they  can  be  used  costs  money.  In  nine 
cases  out  of  ten  it  is  wiser  to  make  no  allowance  for  such  mate- 
rials. My  advice  would  be  to  consider  carefully  before  allowing 
anything  for  salvage  on  old  materials  of  any  kind  resulting  from 
the  work  of  alteration. 

Outside  and  Inside  Finish 

The  method  of  obtaining  quantities,  also  the  classification  for 
all  work  coming  under  the  above  head,  would  be  practically  the 
same  as  for  new  work.  The  principal  point  to  keep  constantly 
in  mind  is  to  make  ample  allowance  in  measurements  where  old 
and  new  parts  join.  It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  it  usually 
costs  more,  both  in  labor  and  stock,  per  unit  to  match  old  work 
than  to  carry  it  out  entirely  new. 

The  above  remarks  regarding  "outside  finish"  apply  fully  to 
all  inside  finish.  See  Chapters  XVI  and  XVII,  treating  the  same 
items  in  new  work. 

Plastering 

If  an  alteration  is  at  all  extensive  there  will  be  very  little 
plastering  left,  except  in  parts  of  the  building  that  are  prac- 
tically unchanged.  There  is  hardly  an  item  in  the  building 

141 


142  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

where  the  increase  in  cost  per  unit  is  as  great  on  diminishing 
quantities.  For  instance,  in  an  ordinary  case  of  new  work  of 
reasonable  extent,  we  would  figure  40  cents  per  yard  for  two- 
coat  work  on  wood  laths.  If  we  were  going  to  put  a  new  ceiling 
on  a  room  of  ordinary  size  in  an  unoccupied  house,  say,  25  sq.  yd. 
area,  the  actual  cost  would  surely  be  in  the  vicinity  of  $25,  or 
$1  per  square  yard.  If  we  were  to  go  into  an  occupied  house 
or  place  of  business  to  put  on  a  patch  of  a  couple  of  square  yards 
the  cost  would  probably  be  about  $5,  or  $2.50  per  square  yard. 
If  there  was  but  a  single  square  yard  under  the  last  stated  cir- 
cumstances the  cost  would  not  be  affected  enough  to  take  notice 
of.  In  the  light  of  these  facts,  you  can  see  that  in  alterations, 
where  the  work  is  in  detached  areas,  frequently  joining  existing 
work,  that  the  plastering  operation  almost  becomes  patching. 
Many  times  it  will  be  cheaper  not  to  try  to  save  much  plastering. 
In  surveying  for  plastering,  if  a  ceiling  or  side  wall  had  about' 
half  its  area  of  old  plastering  left,  thus  leaving  about  one-half 
new,  I  would  either  measure  as  though  the  entire  space  was  new 
and  use  40  cents  per  yard  as  the  cost  (two  coats  on  wood  laths), 
or  take  as  near  as  possible  the  actual  area  to  cover  and  double 
the  price.  Such  a  rule  as  above  would  apply  to  an  average  case 
of  alteration  work,  but  as  each  case  presents  differing  circum- 
stances it  must  not  be  applied  inflexibly,  but  varied  as  the  dic- 
tates of  your  judgment  suggest.  The  question  of  drying  plaster 
on  work  of  this  character  is  seldom  much  of  an  item,  as  there  is 
usually  an  existing  heating  plant  in  operation,  and  the  principal 
items  of  cost  against  drying  would  be  setting  radiators  tempo- 
rarily. The  item  must  not  be  lost  sight  of,  however,  as  in  all  cases 
it  costs  something  and  under  some  conditions  would  closely  ap- 
proximate new  work. 

Painting 

In  surveying  quantities  for  painting  in  remodeling  work, 
provision  must  always  be  made  to  cover  the  entire  walls  or  wood 
work  of  a  room  with  the  last  coat  if  a  good  job  is  desired.  It  is 
practically  impossible  to  paint  a  part  of  a  room  and  have  it 
match  or  look  like  the  part  that  was  left  undone,  no  matter  how 
good  the  undone  part  may  be.  Thus  the  principal  point  to  re- 
member in  measuring  painting  on  an  alteration  job,  is  to  con- 


PLUMBING,  HEATING,  ELECTRIC  WORK  143 

sider  the  last  coat  as  covering  practically  everything  usually 
painted.  The  price  per  coat  on  the  several  coats  preceding  the 
final  one  will  also  be  more  than  would  be  the  case  in  new  work; 
but  how  much  will  be  wholly  a  matter  of  judgment.  The  in- 
crease in  cost  in  average  cases  would  be  about  30  per  cent. 

Plumbing.  Heating,  Electric  Work,  Etc. 

Plumbing,  heating  and  electric  work,  etc.,  would  be  either 
figured  by  men  of  the  respective  trades  or  must  be  "sized  up" 
as  outlined  in  Chapter  XX.  This  "sizing  up"  must  be  on  a 
liberal  basis,  as  considerable  of  the  existing  work  will  be  damaged 
or  absolutely  destroyed  in  the  performance  of  the  other  parts 
of  the  work.  The  above,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  the  work 
usually  has  to  be  done  in  cramped  quarters  and  possibly  over- 
time, makes  necessary  the  careful  consideration  of  the  matter 
before  forming  an  opinion  as  to  the  probable  cost. 

Now,  having  treated  practically  all  of  the  items  entering  into 
an  ordinary  alteration  job  that  differ  enough  from  new  work 
to  make  necessary  special  treatment,  we  come  to  the  items  of 
"expense,"  such  as  watchmen,  telephone,  lockers  and  sheds,  in- 
surance and  bond,  carting  debris,  etc.  All  of  these  should  be 
considered  separately,  and  the  estimated  cost  entered  on  the 
estimate  sheet. 

Having  thus  determined  the  probable  cost,  looking  at  matters 
from  the  safe  side,  which,  by  the  way,  is  the  only  way  on  re- 
modeling if  you  wish  to  make  money,  add  what  you  think  you 
should  have  for  profit,  not  forgetting  in  doing  this  the  fixed 
office  expenses  connected  with  your  particular  business. 

From  my  own  point  of  view,  an  alteration,  if  of  any  extent 
or  in  any  way  complicated,  will  require  double  the  personal 
supervision,  involve  one  in  more  chances  for  accidents  to  work- 
men and  the  public,  and  develop  more  expenditures  for  unfore- 
seen conditions  than  a  new  operation  of  twice  the  size,  con- 
sidered in  dollars  and  cents.  I  would,  therefore,  recommend 
that  the  margin  of  profit  be  figured  as  large  as  from  10  to  20 
per  cent.  If  you  cannot  get  the  work  on  about  this  basis  let- 
your  competitor  have  it,  and  put  your  feet  up  on  the  desk  and 
smoke. 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

An  Interesting  Example  of  Alteration  Work 

I  have  purposely  left  until  the  last  the  consideration  of  a 
phase  of  figuring  the  above  described  class  of  work,  and  now 
will  try  to  show  you  how  to  arrive  at  the  probable  cost  of  some 
operations  that  can  hardly  be  figured  on  a  "stock  unit"  basis. 
I  do  not  know  of  a  better  way  to  explain  than  to  cite  an  in- 
stance that  came  to  me  several  days  ago.  A  man  owning  a  five- 
story  building  in  a  part  of  Boston  where  land  is  worth  about 
$60  per  square  foot  and  rents  are  in  proportion,  has  a  first  floor 
occupied  as  a  store,  about  18  ft.  6  in.  high,  and  a  second  story 
occupied  as  offices,  12  ft.  high.  The  extreme  height  of  the  first 
story  was  brought  about  by  lowering  the  first  floor  about  6  ft. 
in  the  course  of  remodeling  the  structure,  from  a  dwelling  to  a 
store  and  office  building,  some  10  years  ago.  Now  a  store  of  10 
ft.  to  11  ft.  in  height  and  offices  of  9  ft.  to  9  ft.  6  in.  will  bring 
about  as  much  rent  and  sometimes  more  than  the  higher  ones, 
and  he  is  considering  the  possibility  of  working  another  floor 
into  the  space  between  the  street,  or  first,  and  the  third  floors, 
thus  gaining  space  to  divide  into  offices  that  would  bring  in 
about  $4000  more  rent  per  year.  The  question  he  asked  me  was, 
"What  will  it  cost  to  put  another  floor  into  the  building,  moving 
the  present  second  floor  up  or  down,  so  as  to  leave  an  11-ft.  high 
store,  and  cut  up  the  new  story  gained  into  offices,  practically 
like  the  present  second  story?"  Now,  right  here  was  a  matter 
that  could  not  be  figured  on  a  "stock  unit"  basis  or  guessed  at 
with  any  degree  of  accuracy,  namely,  the  raising  or  lowering  of 
the  present  second  story.  By  telling  you  how  I  arrived  at  what 
I  thought  would  be  about  the  cost  you  can  see  how  to  handle  such 
out  of  the  ordinary  operations. 

Lowering  the  Floor 

The  first  question  to  decide  was,  whether  to  raise  or  lower  the 
existing  second  floor,  and  after  a  half  hour's  examination  of  the 
premises  I  concluded  that  it  would  be  more  economical  to  lower 

144 


INTERESTING  EXAMPLE  OF  ALTERATION  WORK  145 

the  floor  than  to  raise  it,  as  there  were  no  partitions  in  the  store, 
and  the  existing  second  floor  had  considerable  steel  and  heavy 
frame  in  it  to  take  care  of  the  24-ft.  span  between  party  walls 
and  support  the  partition  loads  coming  over  it  the  rest  of  the 
way  up  in  the  building.  The  new  floor  to  be  put  in  could  be 
much  lighter  on  account  of  the  spans  being  cut  in  half  by  the 
partitions.  I  then  proceeded  to  analyze  as  follows :  Razing  all 
finish,  doors,  plumbing  and  heating,  etc.,  in  second  story  and 
storing  for  the  time  being  on  the  first  floor;  I  pictured  myself 
there  with  two  carpenters  and  four  laborers,  and  concluded  that 
in  one  week  I  could  accomplish  the  above  work.  This  would  rep- 
resent an  expenditure  of  $129.60,  made  up  as  follows: 

Two  carpenters,  one  week $  42.00 

Four  laborers,  one  week 57.60 

Foreman,  one  week   30.00 

Total $129.60 

I  called  that  "Razing"  $130. 

The  next  thing  was  to  shore  the  present  third  floor,  doing  it  in 
such  a  way  as  to  support  the  second  story  bearing  partitions  and 
not  have  shores  interfere  with  the  lowering  of  the  second  floor. 
This,  I  assumed,  could  be  accomplished  by  putting  a  6  x  6  in. 
strut  in  the  main  partitions  about  every  8  or  10  ft.,  same  running 
from  street  floor  to  the  partition  cap  under  third  floor  joists. 
As  these  could  not  be  inserted  in  one  length,  I  assumed  that  the 
most  logical  way  to  install  shores  was  to  use  pieces  about  20  ft. 
long,  which  could  be  shoved  through  a  hole  cut  in  the  second  floor 
between  two  joists,  the  top  being  placed  under  the  partition  cap 
(the  lath  and  plaster  between  two  studs  on  one  side  of  partition 
having  been  removed  to  make  room  for  it),  and  the  bottom  to  rest 
upon  a  piece  of  oak  plank  with  two  jack  screws  under  it,  and  the 
distance  from  here  to  the  first  floor  to  be  taken  up  by  cribbing. 
When  these  shores  are  all  in  place  I  would  then  turn  the  jacks 
all  up  together,  until  the  weight  on  the  studs  nearest  the  shores 
had  been  relieved.  There  would  then  remain  to  be  relieved  of 
weight  the  four  or  five  studs  between  shores  in  the  middle  of  the 
space.  I  am  assuming,  as  is  usual  in  our  construction,  that  the 
partition  cap  is  either  2  or  3  in.  thick,  and,  this  being  the  case, 
you  can  readily  see  that,  while  the  shores  would  relieve  the  weight 


146  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

on  possibly  two  studs  on  either  side,  the  center  of  the  partition 
between  shores  would  surely  settle  some  if  not  taken  care  of  in 
some  way. 

Laying  Out  Main  Partition 

I  should  now  lay  on  the  existing  main  or  supporting  partition 
the  exact  location  of  the  new  floor,  which  is  to  be  inserted  when 
the  present  second  floor  is  lowered.  The  top  of  the  joists  of  this 
new  floor  would  be  about  9  ft.  5  in.  from  the  ceiling.  Now  I 
would  relieve  the  weight  on  the  partition  from  shore  to  shore 
•(the  large  ones  already  in  place)  by  a  little  temporary  shoring 
of  the  third  floor  by  a  plank  on  the  ceiling  and  several  studs 
driven  in  under  it,  and  cut  off  the  studs  3  in.  higher  than  the 
top  of  the  joists  of  the  proposed  new  floor.  Now  I  would  slip  a 
piece  of  hard  pine  3  in.  thick  by  the  width  of  the  studding  under 
the  ends  of  the  studs  (previously  removing  the  bottom  of  parti- 
tion, which  was  cut  loose),  letting  this  piece  run  tight  to  each 
shore.  Next  I  would  nail  the  bottom  of  all  studs  to  the  shoe 
piece,  putting  a  chunk  of  studding  under  where  it  intersects  the 
main  shores,  spiking  it  securely,  and  then  run  braces  of  studding 
from  the  shores  to  the  center  of  the  shoe  piece  in  a  manner 
similar  to  that  in  which  you  would  truss  the  space  over  a  large 
door  opening  in  a  partition. 

When  all  of  this  work  is  done  the  weight  in  the  center  of  the 
building  from  the  third  floor  up  is  all  transferred  to  the  first 
floor,  which,  if  not  strong  enough  in  itself,  can  be  shored  from 
the  cellar  bottom,  and  we  are  free  to  lower  the  present  second 
floor  the  required  6  or  7  ft.  Now  figure  up  the  stock  and  labor 
that  would  probably  be  necessary  to  have  accomplished  the  above 
result.  The  building  is  90  ft.  deep. 
I  assume  10  large  shores,  6  x  6  in.  x  20  ft.,  =  600  ft.  B.  M.,  at 

$0.02^   = $  21.00 

90  ft.  3  x  4  H.  P.,  =  90  ft.  B.  M.,  at  $0.03^  = 3.15 

200  ft.  2  x  4  Spr.,  =  125  ft.  B.  M.,  at  $0.02^ 6.25 

Nails 3.00 

Teaming  jacks  and  cribbing  stock  from  locker 10.00 

Labor,  two  carpenters,  nine  days 63.00 

Four  laborers,  nine  days 86.40 

One  foreman,  nine  days 45.00 

Total $237.80 


INTERESTING  EXAMPLE  OF  ALTERATION  WORK  147 

Now  the  next  operation  to  consider  is  the  lowering  of  the 
existing  second  floor  about  7  ft.  6  in. 

I  found  upon  examination  that  the  second  floor  had  steel 
girders  composed  of  two  beams  about  every  9  ft.,  and  that  the 
joists  between  them  ran  in  the  same  direction.  It  was  fair  to 
assume  that  the  girders  entered  the  party  walls  8  in.,  and  the 
joists  4  in.  After  consideration,  I  made  up  my  mind  that  the 
easiest  way  to  cut  this  floor  loose  for  lowering  was  to  slot  the 
walls  under  the  girders  down  to  the  new  level  and  to  cut  the 
joists  off  about  6  in.  from  the  wall  and  to  put  in  a  5-in.  trimmer 
from  girder  to  girder,  using  hangers  to  carry  the  trimmer  from 
the  girders  and  also  hanging  each  joist  to  the  trimmer.  Before 
doing  this,  however,  the  floor  must  be  prepared  for  lowering  by 
running  a  3  or  4  in.  plank  along  the  ceiling  about  3  ft.  from  the 
wall  and  parallel  to  the  party  walls,  and  erecting  cribbing  at 
intervals  of  8  or  9  ft.  from  the  first  floor  to  within  the  length  of 
an  extended  jack  screw  of  the  plank  stringer.  Then  place  the 
extended  jacks  and  take  the  weight  with  them.  Now  by  taking 
up  a  strip  of  flooring  and  ripping  off  a  foot  of  ceiling  parallel 
with  the  party  walls,  the  framework  is  exposed  and  ready  for 
cutting  off. 

I  then  proceeded  to  make  the  price  on  this  work  as  follows: 

Teaming,  cribbing  and  jacks $  25.00 

Cutting  away  floor  and  ceiling,  two  carpenters,  two  days 14.00 

Erecting  cribbing  and  placing  jacks: 

Two  carpenters,  four  days 28.00 

Two  laborers,  four  days 19.20 

About  180  hangers 126.00 

Slotting  wall  under  girders,  18  days,  laborer 43.20 

Cutting  joists  and  putting  in  trimmer,  18  days,  carpenters 63.00 

950  ft.  B.  M.   H.  P.  for  trimmers 33.25 

Labor  lowering  floor: 

Two  carpenters,  two  days 14.00 

Four  laborers,  two  days 19.20 


Total $384.85 

Now  having  in  my  mind  ?s  eye  this  floor  down  to  the  new  level, 
there  remains  to  be  done,  when  the  new  third  floor  has  been  put 
in  and  the  new  second  floor  studded  out,  the  removal  and  teaming 
to  the  locker  of  the  jacks,  crib  stock,  shores,  etc.,  and  this  I  as- 
sumed could  be  clone  for  about  $75.  Thus  I  had  costs  as  follows : 


148  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Razing  second  floor $129.60 

Shoring  main  partition  and  work  incident  thereto 237.80 

Loosening  and  lowering  second  floor  and  work  incident  thereto 384.85 

Removal  and  teaming  away  of  cribbing,  jacks,  etc 75.00 

Total $827.25 

The  new  floor  and  partitions,  the  repairs  to  the  floor  that  is 
Jowered  and  the  necessary  changes  in  openings  of  front  and  rear 
walls  are  readily  figured  in  the  usual  way  on  a  "stock  unit" 
bash  and  the  cost  thus  worked  out,  added  to  the  $827.25,  is  the 
supposed  cost  of  the  whole  operation,  to  which  should  be  added 
profit.  On  a  job  of  this  character  25  per  cent,  would  be  little 
enough,  as  there  are  many  hazards,  and  from  its  being  so  dif- 
ferent from  the  ordinary  operations  there  is  a  liability  to  under- 
estimate in  spots. 

Thus  by  dividing  a  large  operation  into  a  number  of  smaller 
ones  and  considering  each  division  separately,  a  pretty  accurate 
analysis  of  the  cost  can  be  made,  when  considering  the  operation 
as  a  Avhole,  one  would  be  wholly  at  sea.  In  actual  practice  a 
number  of  these  minor  operations  would  be  carried  on  simulta- 
neously, thus  entailing  less  time  than  would  appear  from  the 
analysis  of  parts. 

I  have  assumed  that  the  person  figuring  work  of  this  character" 
is  capable  of  taking  a  crew  of  men  and  superintending  the  opera- 
tions, for  if  he  cannot  do  this  it  is  improbable  that  he  will  ever 
be  able  to  estimate  with  any  accuracy  upon  such  work.  I  think 
I  may  safely  say,  however,  that  it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  become 
fairly  expert  in  estimating  new  work,  even  if  he  could  not  take 
help  and  perform  it,  if  he  thoroughly  understands  plans  and 
has  access  to  tabulations  of  costs  that  have  been  worked  out  by 
others.  Such  men  should  never  let  opportunities  go  by  to  get 
right  onto  the  work  and  see  it  performed,  making  notes  of  the 
time  required,  methods  pursued  and  order  adopted,  in  the  various 
parts  of  the  work,  as  information  so  gained  is  of  vastly  more 
help  in  analyzing  the  questions  that  come  up  than  copious  writ- 
ings such  as  this. 


PART  VI 

System  in  the  Execution  of 
Building  Contracts 


CHAPTER   XXVII 
Steps  Necessary  to  Start  Building  Operations 

A  builder  who  has  the  reputation  of  doing  good  work,  finishing 
it  promptly  at  or  before  the  agreed  time,  and  paying  his  bills, 
does  not  want  for  plenty  of  work  at  good  prices.  I  am  going  to 
try  and  explain  to  the  readers,  as  I  see  it,  how  to  secure  a  repu- 
tation for  doing  good  work,  how  to  get  the  contracts  completed 
on  or  before  time,  and  in  doing  both  of  these  things  make  sure 
of  plenty  of  work  at  prices  that  return  something  more  than  a 
mere  living. 

To  do  good  work  it  is  necessary  to  buy  first-class  materials  and 
take  proper  care  of  them  after  they  come  into  your  possession ; 
hire  first-class  workmen  and  see  that  they  are  properly  directed 
and  supervised.  Buying  first-class  materials  does  not  always 
imply  paying  the  top  market  price.  A  builder  with  a  reasonable 
amount  of  capital  and  Avhose  credit  is  known  to  be  good,  usually 
gets  the  best  materials  for  less  than  the  indifferent  builder  of 
doubtful  credit  pays  for  inferior  goods. 

Care  should  also  be  exercised  in  the  placing  of  sub-contracts, 
letting  work  only  to  such  men  as  are  of  good  character  and  who 
have  established  a  reputation  in  their  particular  line. 

All  material  purchased  for  a  building  should  be  delivered  at 
such  times  as  will  insure  some  one  in  authority  being  present  to 
receive  it,  and  should  then  be  unloaded  with  such  care  as  the 
nature  of  the  material  requires.  If  protection  from  the  elements 
is  necessary  see  that  canvas,  lumber,  sheds,  etc.,  as  needed,  are  at 
hand.  Three-fourths  of  the  jobs  I  see  in  process  of  construction 
look  as  if  there  had  been  a  cyclone  in  the  vicinity  the  day  before. 
All  sorts  of  stock  is  strewn  through  the  building  and  round  the 

149 


150  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

premises ;  window  frames  are  mixed  up  with  brick ;  outside  finish 
on  the  floors  is  being  walked  over ;  mortar  bed  is  so  placed  as  to 
spatter  the  face  brickwork  and  the  debris  of  several  months' 
operations  is  still  under  foot,  scattered  about  the  premises.  I 
do  not  need  to  tell  the  reader  that  the  best  of  stock  delivered  on 
one  of  these  jobs  soon  becomes  second  or  third  grade  stock,  caus- 
ing annoyance  to  the  owner  and  architect,  and  often  causing  the 
rejection  of  material,  even  after  some  of  it  is  in  place.  Replacing 
stock  thus  damaged  is  a  constant  drain  on  the  possible  profit  of 
the  job.  The  improper  handling  and  storing  of  stock  in  this  way 
can  have  but  one  result  upon  the  labor,  and  that  is  to  make  it 
cost  more  than  it  should. 

The  cause  of  most  of  these  evils  is  the  contractor  himself.  If 
the  foreman  finds  that  the  contractor  will  not  stand  having  stock 
so  handled,  he  will  very  soon  do  differently.  If  he  will  not  follow 
suggestions  or  orders  from  headquarters,  in  regard  to  these  mat- 
ters, it  is  time  to  get  a  new  foreman. 

When  Starting  a  Job 

When  about  to  start  a  new  job  of  any  size  go  to  the  site  with 
the  foreman  who  is  to  be  put  in  charge  of  the  work,  taking  the 
plans  along,  and  spend  anywhere  from  an  hour  to  a  day  right 
on  the  spot  studying  the  conditions.  Determine  the  location  of 
the  derrick  and  engine  if  the  work  requires  them;  locate  the  of- 
fice locker,  tool  and  stock  shanties;  pick  out  a  place  to  make 
mortar ;  a  place  or  places  to  pile  brick ;  places  to  pile  up  lumber 
and  a  place  to  frame  it;  map  out  a  good  road  to  or  around  the 
building,  locating  it  in  such  a  way  that  all  materials  are  readily 
handled  from  the  teams  to  the  appointed  places,  or  so  that  heavy 
materials  may  be  pulled  under  the  reach  of  the  derrick  boom 
and  be  taken  from  the  teams  and  piled  outside  or  landed  on  the 
building  without  any  unnecessary  or  double  handling. 

In  locating  all  piles  of  materials  and  shanties  try  to  foresee 
the  various  trenches  that  will  have  to  be  opened  or  yard  work 
that  will  have  to  be  done  and  figure  out  the  probable  time  that 
such  excavations  or  work  will  have  to  be  started,  taking  care  not 
to  pile  materials  in  these  places  that  will  not  be  used  up  before 
the  time  for  doing  the  work  arrives.  For  instance,  there  may  be 
some  retaining  walls,  catch  basins  and  drains  which,  upon  due 


STEPS  NECESSARY  TO  START  OPERATIONS  151 

reflection,  you  may  conclude  better  be  left  until  the  superstruc- 
ture is  up.  This  being  the  case,  you  may  safely  pile  such  brick 
and  lumber  on  this  part  of  the  lot  as  will  be  used  in  the  super- 
structure, knowing  that  they  will  all  be  incorporated  in  the  build- 
ing by  the  time  you  are  ready  to  take  up  the  retaining  wall  and 
drain  work.  On  the  other  hand,  it  might  seem  advisable  to  open 
these  trenches  for  drains  and  walls  and  put  them  in  at  once  thus 
getting  something  done  while  you  are  assembling  the  more  com- 
plicated materials  for  the  principal  work.  You  would  then  pile 
stock  elsewhere  or  delay  delivery  for  a  few  days  until  such  time 
as  the  drains  were  in  and  filled  over,  after  which  you  could  use 
the  location  for  piling  stock. 

Having  thus  mapped  out  the  matters  above  referred  to,  the 
next  step  is  to  put  the  work  in  operation.  Build  the  office  and 
install  the  foreman  with  a  complete  set  of  plans  and  specifica- 
tions. Next  build  the  tool  shanty  and  begin  installing  the  equip- 
ment of  hand  tools,  such  as  picks,  shovels,  bars,  barrows,  scythes, 
axes,  timber  dollies,  rollers,  peavies,  ropes  and  blocks,  winches, 
lanterns,  etc.  Everything  that  there  is  a  possible  chance  of 
wanting  should  be  included,  so  that,  should  there  arise  the  want 
of  anything,  it  is  immediately  at  hand.  This  avoids  delay  and 
delay  is  expense.  Enough  work  can  frequently  be  accomplished 
with  the  proper  tools  to  pay  for  them  several  times  over  on  a 
single  job. 

Now  give  the  foreman  as  many  men  as  he  can  use  to  advantage 
and  begin  to  pile  up  stock.  Don't  be  afraid  to  pile  up  stock. 
Lots  of  time  is  lost  on  the  majority  of  jobs  by  negligence  in  or- 
dering materials  and  piling  them  up  in  advance  of  their  being 
wanted.  A  job  that  requires  500,000  brick  should  have  at  least 
100,000  piled  up  on  the  premises  while  the  foundation  is  going 
in  and  before  a  brick  is  laid.  When  brickwork  is  started  plans 
should  be  made  to  have  about  as  many  brick  delivered  per  day, 
or  per  week  if  they  are  coming  by  cars,  as  will  be  laid  in  the 
corresponding  time.  The  100,000  piled  up  will  give  a  surplus  to 
draw  upon  in  case  of  failure  or  delay  in  agreed  deliveries. 

The  Office  End 

Now  that  the  operations  at  the  site  of  the  work  are  thoroughly 
mapped  out  and  started  we  will  deal  with  the  office  end  of  the 
proposition  for  a  while. 


152  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

The  foreman  can  accomplish  but  little  on  the  job  if  the  "of- 
fice" neglects  its  share  of  the  work.  We  have  left  him  on  the 
work  with  a  complete  set  of  plans  and  specifications,  an  office 
locker,  tool  locker  and  plenty  of  tools,  and  we  will  assume  that 
some  "stock"  materials  are  already  arriving  and  being  piled  up 
for  immediate  and  future  use. 

Among  the  ' t  stock ' '  materials  above  referred  to  would  be  such 
as  follow:  cement,  crushed  stone,  common  brick,  sand,  lime, 
boards,  furring,  studding,  etc.  A  reference  to  the  estimate  sheets 
tells  the  quantities  of  all  such  materials,  and  a  little  work  at  the 
telephone  will  soon  demonstrate  who  has  the  particular  kinds 
you  want.  Get  the  prices,  determine  from  whom  you  will  buy 
and  give  orders  for  delivering  certain  quantities  in  a  given  space 
of  time. 

We  neglected  to  state  that  we  consider  it  necessary  to  install 
a  telephone  in  the  foreman 's  office  at  the  building  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. We  then  instruct  the  foreman  as  to  what  has  been  ordered, 
as  well  as  from  whom,  and  as  to  what  deliveries  have  been  agreed 
upon,  instructing  him  to  see  that  the  deliveries  are  kept  up  as 
agreed,  using  the  telephone  to  that  end,  and  notifying  the  office 
if  his  telephoning  does  not  bring  results. 

But  to  get  back  to  the  office  end.  Here  the  work  should  be 
divided  in  such  a  way  that  some  one  man  is  responsible  for  each 
particular  job.  If  there  are  two  or  more  partners  there  should 
be  an  immediate  agreement  as  to  who  is. to  run  the  job  in  hand. 
We  do  not  mean  by  this  that  the  remaining  partners  should  have 
nothing  to  say  about  the  job.  They  should  be  advised  of  all  mat- 
ters of  consequence  which  arise  and  a  free  discussion  of  the  best 
course  to  pursue,  under  the  circumstances,  agreed  upon.  We  all 
know  that  two  or  three  heads  are  better  than  one.  We  simply 
mean  that  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  job,  whether  they  are 
with  the  architect,  owner,  city  departments,  material  men,  sub- 
contractors or  foreman,  should  be  brought  before  the  partner  in 
charge  of  the  job,  and  all  orders,  decisions,  correspondence,  etc., 
be  attended  to  by  said  partner.  Several  men  cannot  run  one 
job  successful^.  There  will  be  confusion  in  ordering  material, 
conflicting  orders  given  to  the  foreman  and  sub-contractors,  con- 
flicting statements  made  to  the  architect  or  owners,  the  net  result 
of  which  will  be  confusion  on  the  work  and  loss  of  confidence  of 


STEPS  NECESSARY  TO  START  OPERATIONS  153 

the  architect  and  owners.    You  can  ill  afford  to  have  either  of 
the  above  conditions  exist. 

Should  the  builder,  or  firm  of  builders,  have  a  superintendent 
in  their  employ  and  he  be  chosen  to  run  any  particular  job,  all 
orders  and  correspondence  pertaining  to  the  job  should  be  at- 
tended to  by  him.  Otherwise  the  foreman  and  other  employees 
on  the  job  and  the  sub-contractors  will  not  pay  the  attention  to 
his  orders  that  they  should.  It  is  not  a  necessity  that  the  super- 
intendent transact  all  the  business  of  the  job  with  the  architect 
or  owners,  although  no  harm  would  be  done  if  he  is  sufficiently 
diplomatic  and  entirely  in  your  confidence.  It  is  fair  to  assume, 
however,  that  a  superintendent  would  refer  more  matters  per- 
taining to  the  job  to  his  employer  or  employers  for  a  decision 
than  a  partner  would.  Especially  would  this  be  the  case  until 
such  time  as  a  superintendent  had  demonstrated  to  his  employer 
his  ability  and  fitness  to  handle  all  matters  relating  to  the  job. 

The  Man  in  Charge  of  the  Job 

It  now  having  been  agreed  upon,  in  the  office,  who  is  to  handle 
the  job  we  have  in  hand,  the  party  chosen  must  begin  his  part  of 
the  work  at  once.  A  full  set  of  plans  and  specifications  should 
be  on  file  in  the  office  at  all  times,  and  if  the  building  is  of  any 
size  or  at  all  out  of  the  ordinary,  a  second  set  of  plans  is  a  great 
convenience,  if  not  an  absolute  necessity.  By  having  this  extra 
office  set  you  can  lend  the  drawings  to  material  men  and  sub-con- 
tractors with  whom  you  are  doing  business  and  not  leave  the  of- 
fice without  plans  of  the  operation.  We  have  seldom  seen  the 
time  when,  the  office  set  of  plans  being  loaned,  something  did  not 
come  up  before  they  were  returned  which  called  for  a  reference 
to  them.  If  the  architect  or  owners  will  furnish  only  one  set  of 
plans  and  specifications  we  should  buy  the  two  extra  sets.  We 
have,  however,  never  met  a  refusal  from  a  reputable  architect 
to  furnish  three  or  four  sets  of  plans.  As  they  usually  have  five 
or  six  sets  printed  to  send  out  for  bids,  it  is  not  an  additional 
expense  to  them  to  supply  the  contractor's  reasonable  wants  in 
this  respect. 

We  find  the  most  convenient  way  to  keep  plans  in  the  office  is 
flat  in  a  draw.  Have  a  case  of  large,  shallow  drawers  in  the  office 
and  take  a  drawer  for  each  job,  labeling  it  and  taking  pains  to 


154  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

put  each  plan  back  in  the  right  drawer  when  through  with  it. 
It  is  a  serious  inconvenience  to  have  to  unroll  plans  and  weight 
them  down  when  using  them,  and  the  method  described  over- 
comes this  objection,  and  is  now  in  use  nearly  everywhere  by 
architects,  engineers  and  contractors.  Another  thing  is  to  cut 
each  sheet  down  to  the  smallest  size  possible,  without  cutting  into 
the  actual  working  drawing.  This  saves  handling  lots  of  super- 
fluous paper  every  time  you  refer  to  the  plans. 

We  left  the  foreman  supplied  with  tools,  help  and  some  mate- 
rials. It  is  now  necessary  to  let  the  sub-contracts,  especially 
those  for  such  parts  of  the  work  as  will  be  soon  wanted.  Among 
these  would  be  cut  stone  and  steel  and  iron  work.  In  all  cases 
more  or  less  work  must  be  done  on  these  materials  before  they 
can  be  delivered  for  installation  in  the  building.  The  !  or  ^  in. 
scale  drawings,  with  such  larger  scale  plans  and  sections  as  are 
usually  a  part  of  the  contract  drawings,  are  sufficient  for  taking 
off  quantities,  and  the  contracts  should  be  made  at  once  to  permit 
the  sub-contractor  to  purchase  such  stock  as  may  be  required  if 
he  does  not  have  it  already  on  hand. 

A  contract  should  be  drawn  up  with  each  sub-contractor  bind- 
ing him  to  furnish  certain  materials  at  certain  specified  times 
(erected  in  the  building  if  his  contract  covers  erection),  with  a 
penalty  of  so  much  a  day  for  failure  to  comply  with  the  times 
of  delivery  or  installation  set  forth  in  said  contract.  You  will 
seldom  have  to  pay  any  bonus  if  you  take  a  little  care  in  setting 
the  dates,  giving  them  just  about  as  little  time  as  it  is  possible 
in  which  to  get  out  the  material,  and,  if  a  part  of  their  contract, 
to  install  it.  What  bonus  you  may  have  to  pay  will  be  money 
well  spent. 

While  the  sub-contractors  are  figuring  and  before  the  job  is  a 
week  old,  you  should  carefully  study  the  plan  yourself  and  con- 
sidering the  total  time  allowed  you,  for  the  completion  of  the 
whole  work,  make  a  written  schedule  of  the  condition  the  job 
should  be  in  each  Saturday  from  start  to  completion,  setting 
forth  clearly  what  part  of  your  own  and  each  sub-contractor's 
work  should  be  done.  Set  your  dates  for  sub-contractors  and  de- 
liveries of  materials  from  this  schedule.  Keep  the  schedule  in 
your  desk  and  compare  the  condition  of  the  job  with  it  frequent- 
ly and  make  it  a  point  to  keep  the  work  ahead  of  the  schedule. 


STEPS  NECESSARY  TO  START  OPERATIONS  155 

If  you  find  you  are  behind  on  any  particular  part  of  the  work, 
give  particular  attention  to  that  part  until  you  have  caught  up 
and  are  ahead. 

Having  thus  laid  out  what  must  be  accomplished  in  order  to 
complete  the  work  on  time  and  knowing  the  quantities  of  mate- 
rial required,  you  can  readily  figure  out  about  how  many  labor- 
ers, masons  and  carpenters  should  be  employed  to  accomplish 
the  required  result.  Don't  forget  to  take  into  account  bad 
weather.  Provide  the  foreman  with  ample  help  and  see  that  he 
is  kept  supplied  with  sufficient  stock  to  work  every  man  to 
advantage. 

With  the  ordinary  stock  materials  piling  up  on  the  site  and 
the  principal  sub-contracts  let,  you  must  now  find  time  for 
scheduling  dimension  frame,  window  frames,  etc.,  and  getting 
your  orders  placed  in  time  to  have  deliveries  made  that  will  per- 
mit of  your  keeping,  or  beating,  your  scheduled  time. 

Other  matters  must  also  have  your  attention.  You  and  your 
sub-contractors  must  have  details  and  you  must  foresee  those 
wanted  first  and  take  steps  with  the  architect  to  get  them.  Don't 
request  him  to  make  them  for  you  "as  you  will  need  them  soon." 
Tell  him  that  you  must  have  them  at  once  or  the  work  will  be 
seriously  delayed.  It  is  well  to  impart  this  information  to  the 
architect  by  letter,  following  the  first  letter  with  others  if  nec- 
essary, until  such  times  as  you  get  your  details.  If  it  gets  to  a 
point  where  you  are  actually  delayed  by  his  failure  to  furnish 
certain  details,  set  it  forth  clearly  in  a  letter  to  him  and  claim  an 
extension  of  time  from  date  of  letter  until  the  drawings  required 
are  forthcoming. 

By  keeping  copies  of  all  your  letters  and  preserving  all  of  his, 
in  a  file  or  files  provided  for  the  particular  job  in  hand,  informa- 
tion that  may  save  you  from  trouble  or  lawsuits  before  the  work 
is  completed,  accepted  and  paid  for,  is  in  your  possession. 

All  of  the  office  work  enumerated  above  must  be  done  at  such 
times  as  not  to  interfere  with  other  jobs  you  may  be  superintend- 
ing, figuring  or  periodically  visiting.  The  writer  makes  it  a  rule 
to  visit  one  or  more  jobs  every  morning  before  going  to  the  office, 
spend  the  middle  of  the  day  in  the  office  (say  from  10  a.  m.  to 
2  or  3  p.  m.)  and  then  visit  the  same  or  other  jobs  in  the  after- 
noon before  going  home.  Of  course  things  will  come  up  fre- 


156  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

quently  that  upset  this  routine  and  this  plan  must  be  changed  to 
suit.  Whatever  comes  up,  work  '  *  under  way ' '  must  not  be  neg- 
lected and  you  must  plan  to  take  care  of  it  all  in  some  way. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

Job  Superintendence 

Upon  visiting  the  job  it  is  a  good  plan  to  go  from  top  to  bottom 
of  the  building,  taking  notice  of  everything  that  is  going  on, 
whether  being  done  by  your  own  men,  your  sub-contractors,  or 
the  owners'  sub-contractors.  Also  look  at  the  stock  piles  to  see 
that  materials  are 'being  delivered  fast  enough  so  that  there  is  no 
danger  of  shortage  occurring,  necessitating  the  laying  off  of 
help. 

Having  "taken  in"  everything  about  the  work,  now  look  up 
the  foreman  and  give  him  your  orders.  If  you  have  seen  any- 
thing in  your  rounds  of  the  work  that  is  not  going  just  right  call 
his  attention  to  it,  letting  him  know  what  you  want  done,  and  if 
it  is  something  concerning  the  way  men  are  doing  some  piece  of 
work,  let  him  take  it  up  with  the  men  himself.  By  permitting 
the  foreman  to  nmke  all  corrections  with  the  help  he  can  main- 
tain a  proper  discipline  on  the  work.  Of  course  there  are  cases 
when  you  will  see  something  being  done  so  radically  wrong  that 
stock  is  being  spoilt,  or  wasted  rapidly,  or  the  men 's  lives  or  limbs 
are  being  endangered,  and  in  such  cases  you  should  either  correct 
things  at  once  or  stop  all  work,  get  the  foreman,  and  with  him 
straighten  the  matter  out.  Storming  around  and  hollering  to 
the  help  confuses  them,  and  calling  the  foreman  down  before  the 
help  makes  him  small  in  his  own  and  the  help's  eyes.  If  the 
foreman  needs  censure  take  him  to  one  side  and  give  it  to  him; 
never  allow  yourself  to  do  so  in  the  presence  of  the  help,  owner 
or  architect  if  you  can  possibly  avoid  it. 

Go  Over  the  Job  with  Foreman 

Having  given  the  foreman  time  to  straighten  out  any  little 
matters  you  have  seen  that  need  immediate  attention,  I  would 
then  go  over  the  job  with  him,  pointing  out  the  parts  of  the  work 
that  you  want  pushed  faster  or  that  you  want  taken  up  next,  sug- 

157 


158  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

gesting  (or  ordering  if  you  see  fit)  that  this  or  that  thing  be  done 
next,  or  in  a  certain  way ;  that  certain  shifts  be  made  in  the  help ; 
that  this  or  that  stock  be  used  next,  or  for  a  particular  purpose. 
Give  him  directions  or  orders  for  the  sub-contractors  under  your 
control,  and  any  other  orders,  directions  or  suggestions  that  may 
seem  to  you  to  be  necessary  for  the  proper  conduct  and  progress 
of  the  work.  Then  ask  him  if  there  is  any  sto'ck  wanted,  or  will 
be  wanted  in  a  few  days,  which  should  be  ordered  at  once.  Re- 
member that  two  heads  are  better  than  one,  even  if  one  of  them 
is  the  foreman's.  You  may  have  thought  that  you  saw  every- 
thing, but  he  will  undoubtedly  call  your  attention  to  a  number 
of  little  things  wanted  that  escaped  you  altogether,  that  are  just 
as  necessary  and  important  as  the  big  things,  if  the  work  is  to 
run  smoothly  and  logically. 

The  writer  frequently  finds  it  necessary  to  tell  the  foreman 
to  erect  some  particular  part,  or  do  some  certain  thing,  at  once, 
or  within  the  next  few  days,  the  doing  of  which  seems  illogical 
to  him.  In  this  case  it  is  probably  because  we  want  certain  parts 
erected  so  that  we,  or  a  sub-contractor,  may  make  measurements 
for  something  that  has  to  be  gotten  out  or  made  to  order,  and  we 
have  mapped  out  in  our  own  mind  about  when  this  particular 
stock  will  be  wanted,  and  knowing  about  how  long  it  will  take 
to  get  it  out  and  deliver  it,  know  best  when  the  work  that  makes 
it  possible  to  get  measurements  should  be  done.  It  is  just  as 
well  to  let  the  foreman  know  why  you  want  work  of  this  kind 
done  and  impress  upon  him  the  absolute  necessity  of  its  being 
done  on  or  before  a  certain  time.  No  one  likes  to  do  work  that 
seems  illogical,  and  the  foreman  will  see  the  logic  and  necessity 
of  the  matter  when  explanations  are  made  and  will  accomplish 
the  results  you  desire  with  more  spirit  and  dispatch. 

You  may  think  these  latter  suggestions  somewhat  unnecessary, 
but  we  have  seen  many  jobs  delayed  because  nobody  gave  any 
attention  to  matters  that  required  something  to  be  done  so  that 
measurements  of  special  material  could  be  obtained,  until  the 
work  was  practically  ready  for  these  materials,  and  then  there 
would  be  a  shifting  or  laying  off  of  help  and  a  wait  of  days,  or 
even  weeks,  for  this  particular  stock. 

These  delays  may  be  almost  or  wholly  obliterated  if  you  study 
your  plans  and  specifications  sufficiently,  running  the  job  from 


JOB  SUPERINTENDENCE  159 

them  rather  than  from  the  building  itself.  It  is  only  by  deter- 
mining the  wants  of  your  job  from  the  plans  and  by  having 
scheduled  the  times  at  which  certain  things  will  be  wanted,  that 
you  can  avoid  vexatious  delays,  assuming,  of  course,  that  you  get 
drawing  and  details  from  the  architect  fast  enough,  and  we  will 
VTO  on-  record  as  saying  that  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  it  is  your 
own  fault  if  you  do  not. 

The  foreman  will  probably  want  decisions  as  to  the  exact  mean- 
ing of  the  plans  and  specifications,  especially  in  parts  of  them 
where  they  are  a  trifle  vague  or  susceptible  of  a  double  inter- 
pretation. These  matters  should  be  gone  over  with  a  foreman 
carefully  and  a  ruling  and  definite  instructions  given  him  by 
you,  unless  it  appears  to  be  something  that  should  be  referred  to 
the  architect  for  a  decision.  In  the  latter  case  the  matter  should 
be  referred  to  the  architect  at  once,  and  by  letter  if  possible,  and 
his  instructions  or  interpretations  be  obtained  and  followed  un- 
less there  is  some  very  good  reasons  for  disagreeing  with  him. 
In  this  case  have  the  matter  out  with  him,  and  after  coming  to 
an  agreement  give  orders  or  directions  to  the  foreman.  All  these 
things  being  looked  after,  it  is  time  to  move  on  to  another  job  or 
the  office  and  take  up  the  matters  concerning  this  and  other  jobs. 

Assuming  that  we  are  back  to  the  office  again,  there  will  be  the 
materials  to  order  that  you  and  the  foreman  have  determined  are 
wanted.  The  telephone  and  letters  soon  take  care  of  this  and  gejt 
them  off  your  mind.  Then  there  are  details  that  are  wanted,  and 
you  take  the  matter  up  with  the  architect  by  letter.  You  also 
noticed  that  some  of  the  sub-contractors  wanted  a  little  pushing, 
or  some  information  that  you  obtained,  and  you  next  get  these 
things  off  your  mind  by  attending  to  them. 

All  details  for  the  job  should  be  sent  to  the  office,  not  to  the 
building.  Upon  receiving  a  detail  look  it  over  carefully;  first 
to  see  that  it  conforms  to  the  general  plans,  large  scale  drawings 
that  may  have  been  a  part  of  the  contract  plan  and  the  specifica- 
tions ;  second,  to  see  that  the  work  illustrated  by  the  drawings  is 
so  laid  out  as  to  be  practicable  and  make  a  good  workmanlike 
job  and  will  fit  into  the  structure  under  the  existing  circum- 
stances, as  is  intended  by  the  architect;  third,  to  thoroughly 
familiarize  yourself  with  the  detail  and  all  that  it  is  intended  to 
communicate  to  you,  so  that  you  can  explain  its  meaning  fully 


160  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

to  the  foreman  and  any  of  the  sub-contractors  whose  work  may 
be  illustrated  therein. 

Consult  the  Architect 

If  in  looking  over  the  detail  you  see  anything  about  it  that  is 
not  clear,  or  will  not  work  out  right,  or  make  a  first-class  job, 
or  that  you  think  is  in  excess  of  your  contract  plans  and  specifica- 
tions, go  to  the  architect  at  once,  or  at  the  very  first  opportunity, 
taking  the  drawing  with  you,  and  discuss  the  whole  matter  with 
him  and  mutually  agree  upon  everything  before  leaving.  If  this 
necessitates  corrections  or  changes  in  the  drawings  have  them 
made  by  the  architect.  You  can  then  take  the  drawing  back  to 
the  office  knowing  what  it  all  means,  and  you  are  ready  to  dis- 
tribute, and  correctly  explain  the  information  it  contains,  to  all 
parties  concerned  without  further  delay.  Adopting  this  course 
will  save  you  from  the  possibility  of  giving  wrong  explanations 
and  from  later  misunderstandings  with  the  architect  and  others. 

Having  now  agreed  with  the  architect  in  regard  to  the  detail 
it  should  be  absolutely  and  faithfully  followed,  even  though  you 
may  not  see  the  sense  and  logic  of  it  all.  The  architect  probably 
sees  it  and,  if  the  matters  fall  within  your  contract,  it  is  none  of 
your  business  unless  he  chooses  to  explain. 

Now,  if  there  are  parts  of  the  detail  relating  to  several  of  the 
sub-contractors '  and  to  some  of  your  own  work,  you  should  make 
sufficient  copies  to  give  each  party  concerned  a  drawing  and  have 
one  left  for  the  office,  so  that  the  original  can  go  to  the  job  to  be 
kept  there ;  or  better  and  easier  still,  trace  from  the  detail  only 
that  part  which  concerns  each  particular  branch  of  the  work, 
with  enough  of  the  adjoining  parts  of  other  work  in  each  case 
to  make  the  copy  clear  as  to  the  location  of  the  work,  and  give 
to  each  sub-contractor  or  material  man  the  copy  intended  for. 
him.  Make  a  complete  copy  for  the  office  unless  you  are  fully 
satisfied  that,  after  the  thorough  study  you  have  given  the  detail, 
you  will  not  need  it  in  the  office,  and  send  the  original  to  the  job 
to  be  kept  there  at  all  times  for  the  guidance  of  the  foreman  and 
all  others  concerned.  To  illustrate  the  point  clearly,  let  us  assume 
a  detail  through  the  outside  wall  and  a  window  in  a  brick  building, 
beginning  just  below  the  first  floor  level  and  extending  above  the 
second  floor.  This  drawing  would  show  in  section  and  broken 


JOB  SUPERINTENDENCE  161 

elevations,  drawn  to  full  size,  the  following  parts  of  the  struc- 
ture; stone  or  terra  cotta  water  table  or  belt  course;  stone  or 
terra  cotta  sill  and  lintel  of  window ;  second  story  belt  or  cornice 
of  stone  or  other  material,  if  there  happens  to  be  one ;  the  win- 
dow frame  and  sash,  with  sections  of  the  sill,  jamb,  mullion, 
head,  sash,  stop  beads,  edge  casings,  casings,  stool  and  apron; 
the  base  and  moulding;  chair  rail;  picture  moulding;  the  steel 
beam  or  other  lintels  over  windows  back  of  stone  work;  the 
size  of  the  brick,  with  thickness  of  mortar  joints  and  elevation 
of  the  bond ;  and  even  other  parts  not  mentioned.  But  these  are 
sufficient  for  illustration. 

Now  proceeding  according  to  the  second  plan  outlined  we 
would  take  a  piece  of  tracing  paper  of  sufficient  size  to  get  off 
all  that  concerns  the  stone  or  terra  cotta  trimmings;  trace  the 
section  of  water  table,  or  first  story  belt,  showing  the  brick  above 
and  below  it  for  a  couple  of  inches;  then  trace  the  section  of 
stone  sill  and  lintel,  showing  an  inch  or  two  of  the  brick  lines 
and  enough  of  the  window  frame  sill  and  head  to  show  the  con- 
nection between  the  parts.  Next  trace  the  section  of  the  second 
story  belt  or  cornice,  also  showing  line  of  brick  above  and  below, 
and  make  elevations  of  any  parts  necessary  to  fully  illustrate 
the  work  shown  in  section,  such,  for  instance,  as  the  corner  of 
sill  showing  raised  lug,  etc.  Only  a  small  part  of  the  drawing 
as  a  whole  has  now  been  copied,  but  you  have  everything  on  this 
drawing  that  the  cut  stone  man  wants,  and  you  can  turn  it  over 
to  him.  In  the  same  way  trace  section  of  iron  lintels  for  the 
steel  man,  window  frame  and  sash  for  the  sash  man,  and  "fin- 
ish" for  the  finish  man. 

In  case  you  are  going  to  make  a  schedule  of  finish  yourself 
to  take  figures  on  later,  when  you  have  all  the  details  concern- 
ing it,  take  a  piece  of  paper  about  3  ft.  6  in.  square,  place  one 
corner  over  a  pattern  of  moulding,  trace  and  number  it  No.  1. 
Next  take  another  moulding,  numbering  it  No.  2,  and  so  on, 
until  you  have  traced,  one  under  the  other,  each  different  pat- 
tern of  moulding.  Now  make  a  schedule  of  numbers  down  in  the 
lower  right  hand  corner,  allowing  room  to  increase  the  size  of 
the  schedule  later,  and  in  a  place  for  remarks  note  the  purpose 
of  the  moulding  and  kind  of  wood. 

Having  gotten  all  the  mouldings  in  this  detail,  file  the  tracing 


162  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

away  in  the  plan  drawer  for  this  job,  to  be  taken  out  a  little 
later  when  the  next  detail  showing  finish  comes  along  and  other 
patterns  are  to  be  copied  onto  it.  This  method,  as  can  readily 
be  seen,  takes  a  little  time,  but  the  labor  is  well  spent  and  will 
save  the  time  it  has  taken  ten  times  over  before  the  end  of  the 
job.  All  the  sub-contractors  have  the  information  they  Avant  as 
far  it  goes;  you  have  a  copy  of  members  of  finish  as  far  as 
detailed  and  you  have  the  original  for  the  job,  where  it  belongs. 
These  copies  will  all  serve  to  save  you  telephoning  and  explain- 
ing, bothering  the  foreman  and  thus  interfering  with  your  work ; 
saves  the  architect's  time  and  patience  in  explaining  things  that 
you  should  explain;  overcomes  the  possibility  and  probability 
of  misunderstandings  and  consequent  mistakes,  while  greatly 
facilitating  the  getting  out  of  the  several  materials  and  parts. 
You  must  admit  that  all  of  these  benefits  compensate  for  the 
trouble  and  time  involved  in  making  the  copies. 

This  daily  routine  of  visiting  the  various  jobs;  receiving  the 
information  for  the  work  from  the  details;  transmitting  the 
information  to  all  parties  concerned ;  purchasing  the  materials ; 
seeing  that  the  sub-contractors  get  around  as  agreed  and  per- 
form their  work  properly;  keeping  the  foreman  informed  as  to 
what  you  want  done ;  when  you  want  it  done,  and  well  supplied 
with  help,  as  well  as  with  details  and  stock ;  all  stuck  to  per- 
sistently from  the  minute  a  contract  is  signed  until  the  job  is 
completed  is  sure  to  have  results. 

Guard  against  one  thing,  and  that  is,  allowing  your  energy 
and  persistence  to  cease  when  you  get  along  toward  the  end  of 
a  job.  By  this  time  you  are  about  starting,  or  are  in  the  midst 
of  other  jobs  and  are  losing  interest  in  the  one  nearing  com- 
pletion; at  least,  I  am  assuming  that  you  are  because  I  always 
do  myself.  It  is  then  that  I  bring  all  of  my  will  power  into 
action,  determined  at  all  hazards  to  visit  this  particular  job  as 
often,  or  even  oftener,  than  before  and  see  every  single  thing 
done,  and  that  expeditiously,  in  order  that  I  can  have  the  time 
that  all  this  is  taking  to  devote  to  the  other,  and  for  the  time, 
more  interesting  jobs.  This  almost  invariably  results  in  the 
jobs  being  done  on  time,  and  if  I  have  succeeded  in  getting 
ahead  of  my  schedule  a  little  every  now  and  then,  in  getting 
an  acceptance  ahead  of  contract  time. 


CHAPTER   XXIX 
Handling  Work  at  a  Distance,  Timekeeping  and  Divided  Costs 

In  writing  the  above,  I  have  assumed  that  the  job  was  so 
located  that  it  was  possible  to  see  it  every  day,  or  at  least  three 
or  four  times  a  week.  If  the  building  happens  to  be  100  or 
200  miles  from  the  office,  the  method  of  handling  must  be  modi- 
fied somewhat  and  how  we  manage  such  work  will  now  be 
explained. 

It  is  of  course  out  of  the  question  for  you  to  see  such  a  job 
daily  or  even  several  times  a  week.  I  generally  plan  to  visit 
once  a  week  work  that  I  can  readily  reach  and  get  back  from 
in  a  day,  getting  up  early  in  the  morning  so  as  to  get  a  train 
around  6  to  6.30  A.M.,  thus  getting  to  the  work  as  early  as 
possible.  I  choose  for  the  regular  weekly  trip  the  pay  day,  hav- 
ing time  taken  up  to  5  P.M.  of  the  second  day  preceding  the  one 
on  which  I  make  my  visit,  so  as  to  enable  me  to  have  all  the 
envelopes  made  up  in  the  office  the  day  before  pay  day.  These 
I  take  home  with  me  the  night  before  going  to  the  job,  so  as  to 
go  direct  from  home  to  the  station. 

Having  reached  the  job,  I  go  through  the  same  routine  I  have 
described  for  the  daily  visit  to  the  nearby  job,  except  that  it 
lakes  longer,  as  there  is  more  to  see,  more  to  explain  to  the  fore- 
man and  more  planning  ahead  for  future  work  I  want  done  and 
materials  that  the  work  will  require.  Having  established  the 
day  for  this  weekly  visit,  I  make  it  known  to  everybody  with 
whom  I  am  doing  business,  sub-contractors,  material  dealers, 
etc.,  notifying  them  that  if  they  want  to  see  me  at  the  building 
about  anything  to  come  there  that  day,  and  that  if  there  is  any- 
thing about  which  I  want  to  see  them  there  I  will  notify  them, 
giving  them  as  much  notice  as  possible.  I  also  try  to  have  the 
architect  or  his  representative  make  his  visits  to  the  work  on 
these  days.  Now  I  let  nothing,  except  of  the  utmost  importance, 
interfere  with  my  weekly  trip.  By  making  a  long  day  at  the 
job,  spending  a  great  deal  of  time  with  the  foreman  and  sub- 
contractors, explaining  work  and  ordering  materials  as  far 

163 


164  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

ahead  as  possible,  I  find  that  the  job  will  run  nicely  until  my 
next  visit. 

Isolated  work  like  this  requires  a  very  competent  foreman ; 
one  of  the  kind  of  men  who  is  resourceful,  of  good  executive 
ability,  temperate  and  trustworthy.  In  fact,  you  want  a  man  as 
good  as  yourself,  and  you  cannot  expect  to  find  him  for  $18 
to  $20  per  week.  The  right  man  is  cheap  at  any  price  under 
$40  per  week,  plus  board  and  railroad  fares,  if  the  job  is  of 
any  size.  If  25  or  30  men  are  employed,  he  can  handle  the 
work  enough  better  than  an  ordinary  foreman  to  save  you  his 
week's  wages  every  day  that  the  job  lasts.  If  anything  comes 
up  between  visiting  days  that  cannot  be  settled  over  the  tele- 
phone, which  I  instruct  the  foreman  to  use  freely  if  necessary 
(preferably  in  the  evening,  as  it  does  not  then  interfere  with 
his  or  my  day's  work),  then  another  trip  must  be  made  as  soon 
as  possible. 

If  the  job  is  of  fair  size,  say  $25,000  or  more,  enough  help  will 
be  employed  to  make  a  timekeeper  desirable,  if  not  an  absolute 
necessity.  I  find  that  it  is  usually  possible  to  employ  some  young 
man  locally  who  is  well  vouched  for  and  with  at  least  a  high 
school  education,  who  will  work  for  from  $10  to  $15  per  week, 
making  as  long  a  day  as  circumstances  require.  If  one  cannot 
be  found  locally,  there  is  always  one  to  be  found  in  the  city  who 
will  go  anywhere  you  want  him.  In  addition  to  keeping  the 
time  he  can  look  up  freight  that  is  arriving,  arrange  for  team- 
ing, chase  up  local  sub-contractors  and  material  men,  tally  and 
check  quantities  of  materials,  check  the  bills  for  them  sent  to  the 
job  from  the  office  for  this  purpose  before  they  are  entered  in 
our  books  to  the  dealer's  credit,  assist  the  foreman  in  laying  out 
work,  take  charge  of  a  small  crew  of  men  on  some  kinds  of 
work  under  direction  of  the  foreman,  and  so  on  indefinitely. 
In  fact,  it  is  surprising  the  amount  of  petty  detail  work  that 
such  a  man  can  do  if  properly  handled,  and  it  serves  to  relieve 
the  foreman  and  give  him  the  greater  part  of  his  time  right  on 
the  job  with  the  help. 

The  three  most  important  duties  that  I  give  to  the  timekeeper 
are  keeping  the  daily  journal  or  "log  book,"  keeping  the  divided 
time  and  checking  quantities  of  materials.  For  these  purposes 


HANDLING  WORK,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  165 

I  provide  him  with  two  books  and  fully  instruct  him.  I  give  him 
these  instructions  in  the  presence  of  the  foreman,  and  require 
him  to  perform  the  duties  involved  under  the  foreman's  super- 
intendence and  inspection. 

In  the  journal  I  have  him  take  a  page  for  each  day,  putting 
the  date  on  the  top  line ;  follow  this  with  the  weather,  the  num- 
ber of  men  of  each  trade  employed— first  our  own  men  and 
then  those  of  all  sub-contractors,  including  any  employed  by  the 
owner;  a  complete  resume  of  all  materials  received  at  the  job 
and  from  whom ;  a  synopsis  of  the  work  that  is  being  performed 
by  our  own  help  and  all  sub-contractors;  make  note  of  who  visits 
the  job,  as,  for  instance,  the  architect,  owner,  sub-contractor, 
material  man,  inspector,  superintendent,  member  of  firm  or  any 
one,  in  fact,  not  a  regular  and  daily  visitor ;  also  particular  rec- 
ord of  any  accident  or  unusual  happening;  in  fact,  any  and 
everything  that  suggests  itself  as  of  possible  value  to  me  to 
know  about,  that  takes  place.  This  will  consume  about  one 
hour's  time,  not  all  put  in  at  one  time,  and  just  about  fill  one 
page  of  the  book  14  or  15  in.  long,  on  the  average. 

The  value  of  this  record  may  be  almost  worthless  on  one  job 
and  on  the  next  one  contain  information  that  would  win  you  a 
lawsuit ;  as,  for  instance,  the  information  it  might  contain  in 
regard  to  delays  by  sub-contractors  working  for  the  owner  or 
delay  in  delivery  of  material  that  he  was  to  furnish;  record  of 
visits  of  an  inspector  and  of  some  order  given  by  him ;  particu- 
lars of  and  names  of  witnesses  to  an  accident  of  some  kind  that 
you  might  be  sued  for  six  months  after  the  work  was  completed, 
etc.  Taking  so  little  time  and  liable  to  be  of  so  much  value, 
under  circumstances  that  might  arise,  by  all  means  insist  upon 
this  journal  being  kept  if  a  timekeeper  is  employed. 

The  checking  of  bills  is  very  important  if  you  do  not  want  to 
pay  for  materials  not  received.  Brick,  for  example,  which  are 
purchased  by  the  thousand  delivered,  coming  in  two-horse  carts 
containing  from  1000  to  1800  brick,  are  usually  accompanied  by 
duplicate  slips,  one  to  be  left  by  the  teamster  with  some  one  in 
authority  at  the  job  and  the  other  to  be  signed  by  said  person 
and  returned  to  the  party  selling  the  brick  by  the  teamster. 
With  common  brick  costing  $7  or  $8  per  thousand  it  is  almost  as 
cheap  to  permit  yourself  to  be  cheated  out  of  a  hundred  or  two 


166  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

of  brick  to  a  load  as  to  undertake  to  count  each  load,  on  account 
of  the  time  and  expense  involved  in  doing  so.  To  take  the  fore- 
man from  his  work  is  out  of  the  question.  Here  the  timekeeper 
can  be  made  use  of  by  giving  him  a  laborer  or  two  and  having  a 
load  counted  now  and  again,  especially,  if  upon  looking  at  the 
load  before  it  is  dumped,  it  appears  to  be  small  for  the  number 
of  brick  called  for  by  the  slips.  When  a  dealer  knows  that  you 
are  apt  to  count  a  load  at  any  time  and  do  actually  do  so  every 
day  or  two,  he  will  see  that  every  cart  going  to  your  job  con- 
tains full  count.  I  do  not  mean  to  imply  that  all  dealers  take 
advantage  of  contractors  in  this  way,  but  I  do  know  that  some  of 
them  do,  and  when  in  some  distant  place,  dealing  with  strangers, 
it  is  worth  while  having  the  word  go  abroad  that  you  are  going 
to  get  what  you  pay  for  in  quantity  and  quality. 

Brick  coming  by  cars  are  usually  piled  regularly,  even  if  only 
common  brick,  and  always  if  face  brick.  In  this  case,  time- 
keeper should  measure  and  cube  the  contents  of  the  car  before 
a  brick  is  taken  from  same.  It  can  readily  be  determined  by 
the  cubic  contents  if  the  car  contains  the  number  of  brick  called 
for  by  the  bill  of  Jading. 

In  a  similar  manner  lumber  can  be  approximately  suryeyed 
on  the  teams  or  cars  before  unloading ;  sand,  gravel  and  crushed 
stone  checked  up  with  accompanying  slips;  schedules  of  steel, 
lumber,  window  frames,  doors,  etc.,  checked;  and  all  materials 
be  checked  and  accounted  for  and  practically  none  of  the  fore- 
man's time  be  drawn  upon  to  do  so.  All  shortage,  real  and  ap- 
parent, should  be  called  to  the  attention  of  the  "office"  and  the 
shipper  immediately,  so  that  the  matter  can  be  straightened  out 
at  once.  Letters  or  the  telephone  will  accomplish  this.  All 
slips  received  with  loads  should  be  retained  by  the  timekeeper, 
and  all  bills  for  materials  should  be  sent  to  the  job  as  soon  as 
they  are  received  at  the  office,  for  him  to  check  and  "0.  K." 
if  they  are  correct.  The  journal  and  duplicate  slips  furnish  an 
accurate  record  of  materials  received,  and  in  a  very  little  time 
the  timekeeper  will  go  through  them  all.  We  do  not  place  the 
amount  of  invoices  to  the  credit  of  the  party  selling  until  the 
bills  have  been  checked  and  "0.  K.'d"  as  above. 

The  next  and  most  important  duty  of  the  timekeeper  is  to 
keep  the  time,  not  only  getting  the  total  hours  that  each  man 


HANDLING  WORK,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  167 

works  per  week,  but  the  number  of  hours  each  man  has  on  each 
division  or  class  of  work.  For  this  purpose  I  have  devised  time 
slips,  copies  of  which  may  be  seen  in  Carpentry  and  Building, 
June,  1906,  page  193.  On  the  first  morning  of  the  "work 


WEEKLY  TIME  SLIPS  AS  THEY  APPEAR  WHEN  PLACED  ON  WOODEN  FILE 

READY  FOR  USE 

week,"  which  in  our  case  is  Friday,  the  timekeeper  makes  a  slip 
for  each  man  employed,  fills  in  the  dates  and  rate  of  wages  and 
puts  them  all  on  a  Shannon  file  with  those  of  each  class  of  help 
together.  Our  slips  are  punched  on  the  top  edge  to  fit  this  file, 
although  the  illustration  above  referred  to  does  not  show  punch- 
ing. 


108 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


Immediately  at  starting  time  he  makes  a  round  of  the  job  to 
see  who  are  present  and  at  what  they  are  going  to  work.     He 


then  makes  several  rounds  of  the  job  during  the  day,  one  being 
right  after  the  noon  hour  and  one  starting  in  time  enough  before 
the  end  of  the  day  to  see  what  all  of  the  men  are  doing  and  who 
are  there  at  the  end  of  the  day. 


HANDLING  WORK,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  169 

Upon  coming  to  each  man  on  this  final  round  he  questions 
him  as  to  the  various  divisions  or  classifications  of  the  work  he 
has  been  engaged  upon  and  how  many  hours  upon  each  class, 
entering  upon  the  slip  the  hours  thus  obtained  under  their 
proper  heading.  The  help  are  cautioned  to  notice  the  time  of 
day  if  shifted  from  one  class  of  work  to  another  and  the  time- 
keeper's several  trips  and  part  that  he  may  take  in  assisting  the 
foreman  at  superintendence,  also  familiarize  him  with  the  shifts 
that  are  made  during  the  day,  and  between  the  individual  work- 
men and  the  timekeeper  a  very  accurate  resume  of  the  day's 
work  can  be  obtained  and  immediately  entered. 

Should  a  new  man  come  on  at  any  time  during  the  week,  a 
slip  is  immediately  made  out  for  him  and  inserted  in  the  file 
with  other  help  of  his  class.  At  the  end  of  the  week  this  file 
contains  each  man's  total  time,  from  which  a  report  for  the 
payroll  can  be  made  out,  and  a  couple  of  hours'  time  will  pick 
out  the  total  number  of  hours  and  the  cost  in  dollars  and  cents 
for  each  class  of  work  for  the  week.  Now  remove  the  slips  from 
the  file,  securing  pieces  of  string  through  the  holes,  lay  to  one 
side  and  make  new  slips  for  the  next  week  and  put  them  on 
the  file. 

Now  in  the  book  provided  for  the  purpose  have  the  time- 
keeper record  these  hours  and  costs,  each  under  its  proper  head- 
ing. The  best  book  for  this  purpose  is  one  about  10  x  14  in.,  with 
ledger  ruling,  two  columns  to  a  page.  On  the  first  page  of  the 
book  write  the  heading  of  the  class  of  work  first  encountered  and 
under  same  write  the  word  * '  labor. ' '  On  the  opposite  page  write 
the  same  heading  and  the  word  "stock."  The  two  ledger  pages 
will  then  have  the  appearance  indicated  in  the  reduced  f  ac-simile 
presented  herewith. 

Where  the  nature  of  the  item  is  such  that  there  will  be  stock 
or  other  credits,  instead  of  using  both  columns  for  charges 
against  the  item,  the  right  hand  column  may  be  used  for 
*  *  credits, ' '  as  shown  on  the  reduced  pages. 

Now  on  this  left  hand,  or  "labor"  side,  both  columns,  enter 
"labor";  on  the  right  hand,  or  "stock"  side,  one  column,  enter 
all  stock,  quantity  and  cost,  immediately  after  checking  up  the 
bills  and  before  sending  them  back  to  the  office.  Also  on  this 


170  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


"stock"  side  enter  all  cash  expenditures  that  go  to  make  up  a 
part  of  the  cost  of  this  class  of  work. 

The  "labor"  if  you  choose  can  be  subdivided  several  times  for 
each  class  of  work.  As,  for  example,  on  a  large  factory  job  you 
might  want  to  divide  the  cost  of  the  labor  under  the  head  of 
"windows"  into  handling  and  setting  frames,  jointing  in  sash, 
stop  beads  and  finish  and  applying  hardware ;  to  enable  you  at 
completion  of  work  on  windows  to  more  thoroughly  analyze  and 
tabulate  your  costs.  This  may  readily  be  done  by  making  four 
entries  of  hours  for  the  week  instead  of  one,  adding  after  each 
entry  the  name  of  subdivision.  .Before  starting  another  head- 
ing leave  room  enough  to  make  all  probable  entries  under  the 
classification  started.  Generally  speaking,  the  two  double  col- 
umned pages  will  take  care  of  almost  any  division  of  the  work 
for  a  pretty  large  job. 

At  the  completion  of  the  job,  or  before,  if  the  work  under  the 
heading  is  completed,  the  unit  costs  can  be  worked  out  ac- 
curately by  simply  adding  up  each  column,  totaling  them  and 
dividing  by  the  known  unit.  Take  the  item  of  brick  work ;  run 
down  through  the  stock  side  and  get  the  total  number  of  brick, 
divide  total  cost  of  labor  and  stock  by  the  number  of  thousands 
of  brick  and  you  have  the  cost  of  brick  per  1000  laid  in  the 
building. 

If  you  want  to  analyze  further  it  is  possible  to  go  down 
through  the  "stock"  columns  and  pick  out  the  quantity  and 
cost  of  lime,  cement,  sand,  stage  stock,  etc.  In  the  labor  column, 
if  you  have  made  provision  to  do  so,  you  can  pick  out  the  labor 
of  making  and  carrying  mortar,  handling  and  carrrying  brick, 
building  and  taking  down  stage  (unless  you  make  this  latter  a 
separate  item,  which  I  usually  do  on  jobs  of  any  size),  laying 
brick  and  washing  and  pointing.  Thus  you  can  work  out  the 
cost  of  1000  brick,  laid  in  the  wall,  in  detail  and  with  accuracy. 

To  show  to  what  lengths  an  analysis  of  costs  may  be  carried 
we  give  below  costs  that  we  have  recently  worked  out. 

Brickwork  601  M;  laid  from  September  1  to  December  20, 
1907.  Water  struck  brick  12  in.  and  16  in.  vaulted  walls  with 
some  12  in.  and  16  in.  partition  walls  having  heat,  ventilation 
and  fireplace  flues.  Mortar  1  part  lime,  2  parts  Portland  cement 
and  sand  about  6  parts. 


WORK,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  in 

Masons '  wages  60  cents  per  hour ;  laborers '  wages  30  cents  per 
hour. 

Quantities  and  cost  in  detail  as  follows : 

Lime,  0.74  bbl.  at  $1 $  0.74 

P.  cement,  1.392  bbl.  at  $1.90 2.645 

Sand,  22.7  cu.  ft.  at  $1.50  load  of  32  cu.  ft 1.07 

Brick  per  M  delivered 9.00 

Derrick  and  engine 2.49 

Staging  stock  and  labor 1.224 

Sundry  expenses 1.08 

Labor,  all  handling,  carrying,  culling  and  laying  of  brick  and  making 

and  carrying  mortar,  etc 8.744 

Cost  per  M  complete  in  building $26.993 

It  will  be  noticed  from  the  time  of  the  year  in  which  part  of 
this  work  was  done  that  brick  would  have  to  be  heated,  also  the 
water  for  mortar,  and  that  unusual  precautions  would  have  to  be 
taken  to  protect  the  work  nights.  The  sundry  expense  item  above 
is  for  fuel  for  this  heating,  canvas  and  boards  for  protection, 
railroad  fares  for  imported  help,  etc.  This  price  is  for  the 
brick  right  through,  about  one-fifth  of  the  total  quantity  being 
laid  in  the  exterior  face  of  walls,  the  brick  being  culled  to  get 
the  best  for  this  purpose. 

Stonework— Broken  coursed  ashlar  backed  with  rubble.  First 
story  2  ft.  6  in.  thick ;  second  story  2  ft.  thick.  Mortar,  4  sand 
to  1  Portland  cement,  with  very  little  lime.  All  stone  taken 
from  adjoining  fields  and  farms,  the  maximum  haul  being  about 
one  mile.  The  only  cost  of  stone  was  the  labor  of  gathering  and 
teaming.  Stone  were  large  field  boulders  split  with  plugs  and 
feathers  and  hammer  broken  to  shape.  Total  number  cubic 
yards  704. 

Quantities  and  cost  per  cubic  yard  laid  complete  as  follows: 

P.  cement,  0.679  bbl.  at  $1.90 $  1.29 

Lime,  0.223  bbl.  at  $1 223 

Sand,  6.59  cu.  ft.  at  $1.50  a  load  of  32  cu.  ft 31 

Sundry  expenses  (includes  teaming  of  stone) 1.424 

Staging  stock  and  labor 1.044 

Derrick  and  engine 1.108 

Labor    (includes  procuring  stone,  splitting,  laying,  mortar  making, 

tending,  etc. )    7.44 

Cost  per  cubic  yard  complete  in  building $12.839 


172  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

From  these  two  examples  will  be  seen  the  possibilities  of 
obtaining  costs  if  proper  care  is  taken  in  keeping  the  divided 
labor  and  stock  books.  It  does  not  seem  necessary  to  discuss 
the  value  of  this  information  to  a  contractor,  but  I  am  con- 
strained to  add  that,  out  of  all  the  builders  in  the  city  of  Boston, 
I  only  know  of  four  or  five  who  make  any  attempt  to  obtain  such 
itemized  costs  from  their  work. 

In  the  case  of  items  like  excavation,  stonework  or  concrete, 
where  there  is  apt  to  be  a  little  difference  between  the  estimated 
and  the  actual  quantity,  and  where  the  stock  column  does  not 
show  up  the  number  of  units,  the  foreman  and  the  timekeeper 
should  take  measurements  every  few  days  while  the  work  is 
going  on  to  determine  the  actual  quantity  and  enter  them  in  the 
journal,  so  that  at  completion  the  known  quantity  can  be  used 
from  which  to  analyze  and  tabulate  the  unit  costs. 

While  the  time  sheets  are  divided  into  the  usual  classifications 
made  when  figuring  upon  work  generally  met  with,  if  any  par- 
ticular job  calls  for  some  special  division  not  made,  one  of  those 
not  used  can  be  scratched  out  and  the  new  one  written  in.  In 
the  same  manner  subdivision  of  labor  on  the  listed  items  can  be 
made ;  thus  over  *  *  windows ' '  write  *  *  frames, "  "  hanging, "  "  cas- 
ing, ' '  etc. 

All  the  information  secured  in  this  way  is  of  vast  importance. 
The  very  fact  that  builders  generally  make  no  attempt  to  work 
out  these  unit  costs  accounts  for  the  wide  range  in  their  figures 
and  the  large  percentage  that  find  their  way  into  the  bankruptcy 
court.  Both  timekeeper  and  foreman  should  not  underestimate 
the  importance  of  keeping  time  slips  and  cost  book  accurately, 
entering  everything  as  promptly  as  possible  and  questioning  men 
about  items  of  labor,  stock  or  sundry  expense  if  there  is  the 
least  doubt  in  their  minds  as  to  where  it  belongs.  When  the  time- 
keeper attends  to  all  the  duties  above  enumerated  he  will  find 
that  he  is  occupied  every  minute.  A  young  man  of  the  right 
sort,  however,  will  become  interested  and  learn  a  great  deal 
during  the  six  or  seven  months'  course  of  a  fair-sized  job. 

On  our  last  large  job  the  timekeeper  was  a  graduate  civil 
engineer  earning  $30  per  week  in  a  city  of  30,000  people,  and  he 
gave  up  his  position  and  came  to  work  for  us  at  $20  for  the 
sake  of  the  experience  he  could  get  in  practical  building  con- 


HANDLING  WORK,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  173 

struction  and  costs  in  connection  therewith.  He  made  a  good 
man  for  us,  as  he  could  use  a  transit,  understood  plans  and 
could  assist  the  foreman  materially  in  laying  out  work,  and 
he  knew  the  local  freight  yards,  teamsters,  material  dealers, 
etc. 

On  this  particular  job,  which  was  250  miles  from  Boston,  we 
tried  an  experiment  in  the  matter  of  handling  the  payroll,  by 
making  a  deposit  of  several  thousand  dollars  in  a  local  bank  and 
arranging  for  the  timekeeper  to  draw  on  it  by  check  for  his 
payroll,  freights,  and  sundry  small  bills  with  people  with  whom 
we  did  so  little  business  that  we  did  not  want  to  open  an  account. 
We  required  all  bills  and  payroll  to  be  verified  by  the  general 
foreman  or  foreman-carpenter,  and  every  check  to  be  counter- 
signed by  one  of  these  two  men  as  well  as  by  himself. 

Every  week,  immediately  after  drawing  the  payroll,  he  sent  the 
office  a  copy  of  the  payroll  in  detail,  together  with  all  cash  ex- 
penditures for  such  items  as  carfares,  oil  for  lanterns,  postage, 
stationery  and  the  like,  giving  us  the  amount  and  number  of 
the  check.  All  bills  and  freights  he  paid  he  sent  to  us  at  once 
(not  waiting  until  reporting  payroll),  writing  any  explanation 
and  the  number  of  check  on  the  face  of  the  bill. 

In  the  office  when  the  first  deposit  was  made  in  the  local  trust 
company  the  bookkeeper  charged  said  "trust  company"  and 
credited  "cash."  Upon  receipt  of  a  receipted  bill  or  a  payroll 
report,  with  amount  and  number  of  check  with  which  it  was 
paid,  the  bookkeeper  credited  the  "trust  company"  and  charged 
the  "job."  From  the  weekly  reports  and  a  knowledge  of  ex- 
pected freights  we  in  the  office  were  able  to  tell,  without  prompt- 
ing from  the  timekeeper,  when  it  was  time  to  send  more  money 
to  the  trust  company,  and  accordingly  sent  it.  In  ten  months' 
time  the  trust  company  handled  about  $40,000  and  there  never 
was  a  difference  between  the  books  in  the  office  and  the  time- 
keeper's cash  account  but  once,  and  that  was  of  about  40  cents. 
This,  upon  investigation,  our  bookkeeper  found  to  be  an  interest 
charge  for  an  overdraft  that  the  timekeeper  had  made  when  we 
let  the  cash  get  too  low. 

This  job  was  visited  by  the  writer  every  two  weeks,  staying 
two  days,  running  in  an  extra  trip  several  times  when  something 
came  up  that  made  it  necessary, 


174  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

The  building  was  fireproof  construction  (except  the  roof, 
which  was  mill  construction),  five  stories  high,  with  a  ground 
area  of  10,000  sq.  ft.,  and  we  succeeded  in  completing  same  in 
two  months  and  one  day  less  than  the  contract  time  of  one  year, 
building  for  the  same  people  meanwhile  two  smaller  buildings 
amounting  to  about  $8000.  This  was  made  possible  by  syste- 
matic handling  of  the  job  through  ample  stock  being  supplied  in 
advance  of  the  wants  of  the  work ;  constant  reports  of  the  prog- 
ress or  delays  on  the  job  by  almost  daily  letters  to  the  office, 
followed  by  advice,  suggestions  or  orders  from  the  office,  sent 
immediately  upon  receipt  of  reports  from  the  job. 

We  have  perhaps  touched  on  bookkeeping  in  these  last  few 
paragraphs  more  than  anticipated  when  the  article  was  com- 
menced, but  as  this  part  of  the  building  business  is  as  important 
as  any  other  part,  we  do  not  consider  the  remarks  out  of  place. 
If  results  are  to  be  accomplished  there  must  be  system  all  along 
the  line :  in  estimating,  working  out  the  costs,  keeping  the  books, 
purchasing  the  materials,  letting  sub-contracts,  superintending 
the  job  and  dealing  with  the  owner  and  architect. 

One  thing  must  be  guarded  against,  however,  and  that  is  not 
to  have  your  system  too  cumbersome  or  expensive.  The  narrow 
margins  in  the  business  make  it  necessary  to  hold  down  to  the 
lowest  possible  level  the  office  or  "overhead"  expenses.  The 
firm  that  can  do  business  with  an  "overhead"  expense  of  3  or 
3^  per  cent,  of  the  year 's  total  business  has  a  much  better  chance 
to  stay  in  the  "game"  and  make  profit  than  the  concern  that 
allows  the  same  expense  to  get  up  to  8  or  10  per  cent. 

The  first  three  pictures  shown  herewith  relate  to  a  wing  of 
the  Eastern  Maine  Insane  Hospital  at  Bangor,  the  contract  for 
the  erection  of  which  was  dated  August  10  and  the  building 
accepted  on  June  9  of  the  following  year,  the  cost  of  the  struc- 
ture complete  being  about  $165,000.  The  work  was  done  in  62 
days  less  than  the  contract  time,  but  there  was  no  bonus  for 
completing  it  before  the  time  called  for  by  the  contract.  This 
is  the  building  from  which  the  examples  of  unit  costs  on  brick 
and  stonework  were  taken.  Of  the  three  views  relating  to  this 
building,  the  first  two  show  the  condition  of  the  work  September 
18;  that  is,  a  trifle  more  than  a  month  after  the  contract  was 
dated,  while  the  third  picture  shows  the  appearance  of  the  wing 


HANDLING  WO11K,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  175 

December  13,  practically  four  months  after  the  contract  was 
dated. 

The  fourth  picture  shows  a  24-classroom  schoolhouse  in  the 
Roxbury  district  of  Boston,  which  was  completed  in  79  days 
less  than  the  contract  time,  the  city  offering  a  nominal  bonus  for 
finishing  the  work  ahead  of  time.  The  contract  in  this  case  was 
signed  March  27  and  the  building  was  accepted  December  12  of 
the  same  year.  The  cost  of  the  structure  complete,  exclusive  of 
furniture,  was  $160,000. 

We  are  now  nearly  at  the  end  of  our  remarks,  and  find  that 
we  have  up  to  this  moment  neglected  to  mention  two  important 
points  that  should  have  been  touched  upon  before. 

First— You  will  recall  my  having  discussed  at  some  length  the 
necessity  of  doing  some  work  at  seemingly  illogical  times  in 
order  to  make  possible  the  procuring  of  measurements  for  parts 
of  the  work  that  require  considerable  time  to  get  out.  In  many 
cases  it  would  be  physically  impossible  to  do  some  parts  of  the 
work  until  the  building  was  farther  advanced,  and  at  the  same 
time  it  is  desirable,  if  not  absolutely  necessary,  to  have  the 
measurements  from  which  to  lay  out  and  get  out  some  special 
part  of  the  work.  This  might  be  some  iron  stairs  up  through 
the  building  in  a  masonry  well  with  the  walls  changing  in  thick- 
ness at  different  stories ;  or  the  exact  dimensions  of  several  rooms 
that  are  going  to  be  filled  with  special  case  work.  The  architect 
has  probably  given  the  details,  but  has  broken  the  lines  at  a 
number  of  points,  thus  "putting  it  up  to"  the  contractor  to 
give  absolute  working  figures. 

In  many  cases  of  this  kind  that  come  to  my  notice  the  general 
contractor  is  waiting  for  the  sub-contractor  to  assume  responsi- 
bility and  make  figures,  while  the  sub-contractor  is  waiting  for 
the  general  contractor  or  architect  to  do  the  same  thing,  and  the 
foreman  hardly  dares  to  and  is  waiting  for  some  one  of  the  first 
three  to  take  the  responsibility.  The  net  result  is  that  the 
measurements  are  not  obtained  until  the  building  has  nearly 
reached  a  point  where  the  special  work  must  be  installed,  and 
then  there  is  a  wait  of  days,  or  even  weeks,  for  the  material. 

In  a  case  of  this  kind  the  superintendent  should  "take  the 
bull  by  the  horns"  and  establish  measurements  for  everybody  to 
follow.  Before  doing  this,  study  the  part  of  the  plan  involved 


176  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

carefully,  noting  fixed  structural  parts  and  put  figures  in  ink  on 
the  working  drawings  at  the  job  for  every  one  to  follow,  with 
positive  instructions  to  the  foreman  to  see  that  the  parts  con- 
cerned are  built  to  the  figures  made,  thus  becoming  responsible 
yourself  to  the  architect,  the  owner,  the  sub-contractor  and  every- 
body concerned  for  the  accuracy  and  reliability  of  the  informa- 
tion imparted.  If  you  do  not  dare  to  assume  these  responsi- 
bilities, you  need  more  training  as  mechanic  or  foreman. 

Second— The  building  business  is  made  up  of  vexatious  things, 
and  it  takes  courage  to  meet  them  all  promptly  and  straighten 
them  out.  The  first  inclination  when  you  hear  that  something 
is  going  wrong,  and  the  architect  and  owner  are  kicking,  is  to 
keep  away  from  them  and  the  building  until  the  thing  straightens 
itself  out.  This  is  all  wrong  and  you  hurt  yourself  in  every- 
body's eyes  by  doing  so.  If  we  hear,  directly  or  indirectly,  that 
something  is  going  wrong  at  the  job,  we  make  it  a  point  to  get 
there  as  soon  as  our  legs  or  a  car  can  take  us  and  find  out  at 
first  hand  what  is  the  matter,  and  follow  it  right  up  with  the 
architect,  owner,  sub-contractor  or  whoever  may  be  concerned, 
until  everything  is  settled,  and  matters  left  running  smoothly. 
Having  done  this,  we  feel  better,  the  load  being  off  of  our  mind, 
and  the  architect  and  owner  respect  you  for  having  come  up  like 
a  man,  faced  the  "music"  and  seen  it  through. 

The  object  of  this  article  has  been  to  try  and  make  clear  to 
the  reader  how  system  of  the  right  kind  in  the  office,  on  the 
job,  and  in  your  own  handling  of  both,  may  be  obtained,  getting 
thereby  the  maximum  of  results  with  the  minimum  of  expense. 

If  the  foregoing  helps  any  of  the  readers  to  obtain  these  ob- 
jects we  shall  be  well  repaid  for  the  time  and  thought  put  into 
its  preparation. 


HANDLING  WORK,  TIMEKEEPING,  ETC.  177 


WING  "D"  OF  EASTERN  MAINE  INSANE  HOSPITAL.    J.  C.  AND  J.  H.  STEVENS, 
ARCHITECTS,  SEPTEMBER  18,  1907 


ANOTHER  VIEW  OF  THE  WORK  AS  IT  APPEARED  ON  SEPTEMBER  18,  1907 


178 


ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 


SHOWING  PROGRESS  OF  THE  WORK  ON  DECEMBER  13,  1907.     THE  BUILDING 
WAS  COMPLETED  AND  ACCEPTED  JUNE  9,  1908 


PERRIN  STREET   SCHOOL  HOUSE,  ROXBURY  DISTRICT,  BOSTON.     J.  A. 

SCHWIENFURTH   AND  J.   J.    CRAIG,  ARCHITECTS.       (ACTUAL   TlME,  8 

Mos.  14  DAYS) 


INDEX 


Allowances   for   "Outs"  PAGE 

In    Brickwork    49 

In   Terra  Cotta   56 

Alterations  and  Remodelling: 

Brickwork     .  : 137 

Considered  as  a  Series  of  Small  Operations  or  Jobs 148 

Cost  of    132 

Cut    Stone    138 

Example    of 144 

Existing    Partitions     146 

Finish,  Inside  and  Outside 141 

In   Occupied   Buildings 133 

Iron  and  Steel '. 139 

Painting  and  Plastering 141-143 

Partitions     146 

Personal    Supervision    Required 143-144 

Plumbing,  Heating  and  Electrical  Work 143 

Roofing,   Metal,    Marble  and  Mosaic  Work 140 

Shoring    134 

Terra    Cotta    138 

Analysis  of  Costs: 

Brickwork 52,  168 

Clapboards    90 

Cornices,    Wood    91 

Dry  Wells  46 

Floors,  Wood   107 

Shingles 90 

Steel  and  Iron  Work 61 

Stone   Work    45,  171 

Terra    Cotta    Floors 56 

Windows    99,  172 

Anchors 63 

Approximating  Costs  of  Buildings 128 

Arch  and  Ground  Work fc 52 

Architect,  When  to  Consult 160 

Areas,  Computation  of 126 

Of    Gables     88 

Of    Triangles    83 

Arithmetic  Required  by  Estimator 34 

Attic    Plan,    Analysis    of 25 

Balustrades   97 

Base,   Method  of  Computing 101 

Moulding     101 

Bay  Windows,  Metal 70 

Belt  Courses 94 

Blinds,  Painting  of 117 

Block   Plan    29,  32 

179 


180  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

PAGE. 

Boarding   81 

Cost  of    89 

Diagonally 88 

Method  of  Entering  Quantity  on  Estimate  Sheets 81 

Method    of    Measuring 81 

Nails  Required 89 

Roofs    81 

Vertically    89 

Waste   on   Same 89 

Boards,     Corner     94 

Saddle    95 

Bonus  and  Forfeiture 154 

Borings  to  Test  Nature  of  Soils,  Etc 43 

Brickwork    48,  137 

Alterations 137 

Arch  and  Ground  Work 52 

Checking  Quantities   Received   on  Job 164 

Cleaning,  Washing  and   Pointing 53 

Cost  Analysis    52,170 

Face  Brick    52 

Flue    Linings     * 54 

Ground    Brick    52 

Measuring    Chimneys     48 

"Outs" 49 

Walls 49 

Method    of    Measuring 50 

Method   of   Procedure 50 

Number  Per  Foot  in  Chimneys 48 

Partition  Walls   51 

Price  of 52 

Purchasing    165 

Rough    Fireplaces    48 

Sizes  of,  and  Number  Per  Cubic  Foot 48 

To  Enter  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 49 

Underpinning     50 

Waterproofing 53 

Bridging    80 

Broken  Lines  in  Plans: 

Explanation    of    Their    Use 15 

Buildings,  Constructed  in  Short  Time,  Examples  of 174 

Capping    Piles    43 

Carpenter  Labor,  Ratio  to  Stock 71 

Carpenter's  Rule  Used  to  Scale  Plans 11 

Cast  Iron,  Entering  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 68 

Structural  and   Ornamental 61 

Centering,   for  Terra   Cotta  Floors 57 

Cesspools   47 

Chair  Rails   102 

Chimney,   Plan  of,   Analyzed 10,  23 

Chimneys     48 

Clapboards    90 

Analysis  of  Costs 91 

Custom  of  Figuring   "Outs" 91 

Cleaning  Masonry 53 

Clearing   Site   for   Building 38 

Closets,    Clothes    102 

Pantry,  Linen,  Etc 104 

Colors,  Use  of,  on  Plans ........ ,.,...... 32 


INDEX  iai 

PAGE. 

Columns,   Fireproofing   of  Iron   Columns 112 

Wood    96 

Composition    Roofs     66 

Concrete : 

Cost  of,   in   Footings 43 

Floors 45,  137 

Foundations    136 

Reinforced    Floors    60 

Walks     45 

\Vork  Under  Difficulties 139 

Construction    of   Buildings   in    Short   Time 174 

Consulting  the  Architect 160 

Contractor,  General   35,  175 

Responsibility  of   175 

Copper  Roofs   66 

Corner    Boards    94 

Cornices: 

Brackets    in    Same 92 

Costs  Per  Foot   (Wood) ." 92 

Drawings.    32 

Labor  Per  Foot    (Wood) 93 

Metal     79 

Methods   of  Measuring 92 

Wood   92 

Costs: 

As  a  Matter  of  Judgment 42 

Boarding    89 

Brickwork   170 

Buildings,  Alterations  and  Remodelling 132 

Buildings,    Approximate    128 

Buildings,   Per  Cubic   Foot 126,  128 

Buildings,    Per    Square   Foot 126 

Clapboards     90 

Closets   103 

Composition     Roofing     66 

Concrete    in    Footings 43 

Drying  Plaster 114 

Dry   Wrells ' 46 

Elastic  Cement  in  Slate   Roofs 65 

Excavating    41 

Floors,   Wood    107 

Flue  Linings 54 

Frame  Per  Thousand 73 

Furring    80 

Galvanized  Iron  Work,   Plain 66 

Hoisting  Apparatus,  Steam 62 

Lowering    Existing    Floor 144,  147 

Painting  Per    Square    Yard 116 

Steel    Work    63 

Plastering    142 

Plumbing    Fixtures    120 

Removing  Trees    38 

Roofs  of  Tin,  Copper,  Composition,  Slate,  Etc 64,  66 

Shingles 90 

Shoring    145 

Sizing   for  Painting    117 

Skylights   67 

Slate   Roofing   65 


182  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Costs: — Continued.  PAGE 

Sodding  47 

Stone    Setting    55 

Stone  Work    45,  171 

Structural  and  Ornamental  Iron  and   Steel  Work 62 

Terrazzo    Floors    64 

Terra   Cotta   in    Partitions 57 

Setting 55 

Truss    Framing    75 

Wall   Copings,  Metal   69 

Waterproofing  Brick  Wall 54 

Cross   Hatching    8,    32 

Cubic   Contents  of   Buildings,   to   Compute 126 

Cubic    Foot : 

Costs,  as  a  Check  to  Detail  Estimates 127 

Measurements     126,   127 

Cut   Granite    55 

To  Enter  on  Estimate  Sheets 59 

Cut   Stone  Work  in  Alterations 138 

Damp-Proof  Painting  of  Brick  Walls 54 

Delays,  to  Avoid  Same 157 

Delivery  of  Materials  at  Work 149 

Detail    Drawings     8 

Details   155 

For    Sub-Contractors    162 

Large   Scale 28,    29,    30,   31 

Dimensioning    Plans    8,   12,   13 

Discipline  on  the  Work 157 

Divided  Time,  to  Keep   Same 167 

Dogs     64 

Doors   100 

How  Shown  on  Plans 19,  20 

Temporary  Closing  of  Same 110 

Dormer    Windows    85 

Dotted  Lines,  Their  Use  on   Plans 9 

Drains,  Method  of  Measuring 46 

Drawings,    Detail    . .  • 8 

Drying  Plastering    . .  .• 114 

Dry  Wells,  Building  and  Cost  of 46 

Duties  of  Foreman 153 

Of    Superintendent 153 

Of  Time-Keeper 164 

Elastic  Cement  in  Slate  Roofs 65 

Electric  Light  Wiring   121 

Electric  Work 143 

Elevation    Drawings,    Analysis    of 26 

Elevations,    Explanation    of 8>    26 

Elevations  of  Roofs 82-86 

Engine   and    Derrick,   When   Required 62 

Engineer    (Civil),    When    Required 39 

Entering  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 41,  46,  49,   59,   68,  77,   103,   111,   124 

Estimating: 

Book  for   38 

Method  of 

Science    of    • •••    132 

Estimator,    Arithmetic    Required   by 34 

Ethics  of  Building  Trade 35 


INDEX  183 

PAGE. 

Excavation  and   Ground  Work 40 

Costs  of    41 

Costs   of  in   Alteration   Work. 136 

For   Footings    40 

Method  of  Handling   41 

Unit    of    Measure 40 

Expenses     .  . . 123 

Fixed     125,  173 

In  Alteration  Work 145 

Overtime  Work 133 

Sundry    123,  125 

Face  Brick  Work    52 

Figuring  Quantities,  When  to  Do  So 40 

Short    Methods    128 

File  for  Time  Slips 167 

Fire-Places : 

How    Shown    on    Plans 22 

Rough    48 

Fireproofing   of  Iron    Columns 109 

Fireproofing    with    Plastering 108 

First  Floor  Plans: 

Analysis  of   18 

Explanations  of   9 

Fixed   Expenses    125,  173 

Flashings     90 

Floors: 

Analysis  of  Cost 107 

Concrete  and  Granolithic   45,  137 

Figuring    Frame    of    72,  73 

Lowering  Existing  Floor 144,  147 

Plank     89 

Reinforced   Concrete    60 

Terra    Cotta    57 

To    Compute   Areas 105-106 

"Outs"   106 

Wood   105 

Flue   Linings    54 

Cost   of 54 

How   Entered   on    Estimate   Sheets 49 

Footings,   Concrete    43 

Excavation  for 40 

Foreman,   Wages,   Duties,    Etc 153,  163 

Forfeiture  and  Bonus    154 

Foundation,    of   Concrete 136 

Plans,    Analysis    of 12,  13,  14 

Walls    44 

Frame : 

Cost  per  Thousand 73 

Estimating   Quantities    73 

Quantities,  by  Rule  of  Proportion 74 

Figuring  Rafters   74 

Method   of    Scheduling 72 

Partitions     75 

Percentage  of  Waste 73 

Short  Methods  of  Computing. 73 

Sills,    Joists,    Girders,    Etc 72 

Special   75 


184  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Frame: — Continued.  PAGE 

To  Enter  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 68 

Trusses    75 

Walls    • 72 

Furring: 

Computing    Quantity    79 

Cost  of 80 

Method  of  Entering  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 77 

Gables,   to   Find   Area   of 88 

Galvanized    Iron    Work    67 

Gas-Piping     ' 120 

General    Contractor     35,   175 

Girders     72 

Grading    47 

Granite,  to  Enter  on   Estimate  Sheets 59 

Trimmings    55 

Granolithic  Floors  and  Walks 45 

Grounds     , 104 

Ground   Work    40 

Handling   Materials    on    Site    Work 80,   150 

Hangers 63 

Hanging   Ceilings    79 

Hatching,    Cross    8,  32 

Heater,    as   Shown  on   Plans 8,    10 

Heating    121 

Heating,  in  Alteration  Work 143 

Hips  and  Valleys,  Length  of 87,  88 

Hoisting  Apparatus    62 

Inside    Finish     107 

Alterations    141 

Painting   of 118 

Iron  and  Steel: 

Fireproofing  with  Wire  Cloth  and  Plaster 108 

In  Alteration  Work    139 

Setting  Under  Difficulties 139 

Structural  and   Ornamental 63 

To  Enter  on   Estimate    Sheets 59,  68 

Joists 72 

Judgment   in    Costs 42,   132 

Keeping  a  Journal  on  Large  Jobs 164 

Stock  Records  on  Jobs 169 

Time 163 

Knowledge   Required  by   Estimator 34 

Labor,  Carpenter,  Ratio  to  Stock 71 

Large   Scale  Details 28-31 

Lathing,    Wire     108 

Lattice    Work    97 

Length  of  Hips  and  Valleys 87,  88 

Letters,   Keeping   Copies  of 155 

Lighting,  as  Shown  on  Plans 10 

Electric    121 

Specifications    121 

Lime    Stone    .' 55 

Cost,  Setting,  to  Prevent  Discoloration 55 

Linen    Closets    104 

Linings  for   Chimney  Flues 54 

Lockers  and  Sheds    123,  151 

Lumber,   Checking  Quantities   on   the   Job 160 


INDEX  185 

PAGE. 

Marble,  Mosaic  and  Terrazzo  Work 64 

Work,  Alterations  in 140 

Marks,  Witness   13 

Masonry,   Cost  of  Cleaning  and  Pointing 52 

Materials,  Delivery  of   149 

Handling  of,  on  Site  of  Work 80,  150 

Measure: 

Unit    of,    for    Excavation 40 

Unit   of,    for    Roofs . . .  , 66 

Unit   of,    for   Stone   Work 44 

Measuring  Flat  Roofs 66 

Metal    Work    65 

Alterations  in  140 

Skylights    67 

Mosaic,  Marble  and  Terrazzo  Work 64 

Work,    Alterations    in ." 140 

Moulding,  Base    101 

To  Make  Schedules  of 161 

Office   Duties    151 

Orders    to    Foreman 158 

"Outs": 

In    Brick    Work 49 

In    Plastering    110 

In    Terra    Cotta    Floors 56 

Partitions     58 

Wood  Floors    106 

Outside  Finish 91 

In    Alteration    Work 141 

To    Enter   on    Estimate    Sheets 77 

Outside    Steps    96 

Outside  Walls,   How  Shown  on  Plans 19 

Overtime  Work,  Expense  of 133 

Painting 116 

Blinds     117 

Cost  per  Yard 116 

In    Alteration    Work 142 

Inside    Finish     118 

Method  of  Computing  Surfaces 116 

Plastered    Walls    117 

Pantries     104 

Partition    Walls     51 

Partitions: 

Alteration  to  Existing  146 

How  Shown  on  Plans 19 

Of    Studding 77 

Temporary    134 

Terra   Cotta    57 

Pay-Roll,    Handling   of 173 

Piazza    Facia    ' ; . . .  96 

Floors  and  Steps 96 

Pilasters     96 

Piling  and   Cutting  Piles 42 

Capping    43 

Plan: 

Definition  of    7 

Reading   34 

Plank  Floors    89 

Plans,  Office,  Handling  of 153 


186  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

PAGE. 

Plastering    108 

Computing  "Outs"    109 

Cost   of,    Under   Difficulties    142 

Drying     114 

For  Fireproonng  Iron  and   Steel 108 

In    Alteration    Work 142 

Measuring    Plans    for    Quantity 109 

Ornamental     108 

Patching     142 

Short  Method  of  Computing  Quantity 112 

Surveying     Ill 

Plumbing 120 

Fixtures  as  Shown  on  Plans 23 

In    Alteration    Work 143 

Pointing  Masonry  52 

Profit 125 

In    Alteration    Work 1 43 

Proportion,   Example  of  Use  of   Same 74 

Pumping    and    Shoring 42 

Rafters,  Figuring  Quantity 74,  88 

Razing    133,   145 

Reading  Plans    34 

Reinforced  Concrete  Floors 60 

Remodelling,  Cost  of 132 

Rents,  High,  in  Cities 144 

Responsibility  of   General   Contractor 175 

Roof    Lines    on    Plans • 25 

Roofing,   Alterations  in 140 

Roofing  and  Metal  Work 65 

Composition 66 

Computing  Quantity  of  Frame  for 86 

Copper,   Tin,    Etc 66 

Elevations  and  Plans 81-87 

Entering  Areas   on   Estimate   Sheets 86 

Flashings     66 

Measuring  Surfaces    66,   82,  84,   86 

Metal,  to  Enter  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 68 

Slate 65 

Saddle   Boards    95 

Salvage  in  Old  Materials 134 

Scale,     Explanation    of 

Schedules,  to  Make  Same  of  Mouldings 161 

Science  of  Estimating    132 

Second   Floor    Plans,    Analysis   of 23 

Sectional    Drawings    8,    14,    16,    32 

Sheds,   Lockers,   Etc. 123,   151 

Shingles     90 

Analysis    of    Cost 90 

Flashings    Required    90 

Shoring  and  Pumping 42 

Shoring,  Example  of  Cost 145 

In    Alteration    Work 134 

Short  Methods  of  Computing  Floor  Frame 

Computing   Plastering  ' 1 

Figuring    Buildings    128 

Sills    72 

Sizing  Walls  for  Painting   117 

Skeletons  in   Terra   Cotta   Partitions 58 


INDEX  18? 

PAGE. 

Skylights,    Metal    67,  6b 

Slate  Roofs 65 

Sodding 47 

Specifications,  Their  Relations  to  Plans 9 

Square,  a   Unit  of  Measure 105 

Stairs    104 

As  shown  on  Plans 20,  2 1 

Steam  Hoisting  Apparatus 62 

Steel   and   Iron   Work 61 

Analyzing   Costs  in    Special   Cases ..  .  •  •  62 

Cost  of  Painting 61 

In    Alteration    Work 139 

Setting    61,  139 

To   Enter   Quantities   on    Estimate    Sheets 59 

To    Obtain    Costs 61,  63 

To    Obtain    Quantities 61 

Steps,  Outside    96 

.Stock,    Keeping   Record    for    "Unit    Costs" 169 

Stone    Work: 

Analysis   of   Costs 45,  171 

Building  Trimmings 55 

Cut,  in  Alterations 138 

Entering  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 55 

Foundation  Walls   44 

Limestone    55 

Pile    Cappers    43 

Underpinning     45 

Unit  of   Measure    44 

Studding  and   Furring    75 

Entering  Quantities  on  Estimate  Sheets 77 

Estimating  Quantities 76,  78 

Methods   of   Measuring 77 

Sub-Contracts,  Letting  Same 149 

Sundry  Expenses   123,  124 

Superintendence   of  Alteration  Work 157 

Superintendent,    Duties    of 153 

Telephone,  Necessity  on  Job 152 

Temporary  Closing  of  Buildings 114 

Temporary  Partitions  134 

Terra    Cotta: 

Building  Trimmings   56 

Floor  Construction   56-57 

In    Alteration    Work 138 

Mortar  for 57 

Partitions    57 

To  Enter   Quantities   on    Estimate    Sheets 59 

Terrazzo  Floors,   Cost  of 64 

Marble  and  Mosaic  Work 64 

Time-Keeper,  Duties  of  and  Necessity  for 164 

Time    Slips,    Example    of 167 

Tin  Roofs   66 

Trade    Ethics     35 

Trees,    Removal    of    38 

Triangles,   to    Find    Area   of 83 

Truss    Framing,    Cost    of 75 


188  ESTIMATING  THE  COST  OF  BUILDINGS 

Unit  of  Measure:  PAGE. 

For    Excavation     40 

For    Stone    Work 44 

For    Roofs 65 

For    Upper    Floors 105 

Underpinning  of  Brick   50 

of   Stone    45 

Unwritten  Law  of  Building  Trade 35 

Upper   Floors    106 

Valleys  and  Hips,  to  Find  Length  of 87,  88 

Value  of  Reliable  Data 138 

Ventilators,    Metal    69 

Visiting   Site   of  Alteration   Work ; 132 

Visiting   Site  of   New   Work 38 

Visits   to   Jobs 155 

Wall  Copings,  Metal    69 

Framings,  Measuring  and  Computing 75 

Estimating     Quantity     of 76 

Watchman     123 

Waterproofing   of   Brick  Walls 53 

Water    Table 95 

Windows    99 

Analysis  of  Cost   100,  172 

As  shown   oh  Plans 19 

Caps    96 

Mullion  and  Triple 100 

Temporary    Closing    114 

Wire    Lathing 108 

Wiring,    Electric   Light 121 

Witness    Marks     13 

Work  at  a  Distance „ ,  . .  163 


A  FEW  GOOD  BOOKS  ON 

ESTIMATING  -»  SPECIFICATION 
WRITING 

Hicks'  Builders'  Guide,  1913 

By  I.  P.  HICKS 

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The  "Guide"  was  designed  by  a  man  who  understood  the  needs 
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Twentieth  thousand.  168  pages.  Size  5  x  6  3-4  ins.  114 
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Estimating  Frame  and  Brick  Houses,  Barns,  Stables, 
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By  FRED  T.  HODGSON,  Architect 

The  book  aims  to  give  a  careful  consideration  to  all  the  items 
and  elements  of  cost  in  construction,  beginning  at  the  foundation 
of  the  building  and  progressing  to  the  finished  structure.  Young 
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There  is  a  detailed  estimate  of  a  $5,ooo  house  and  additions: 
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and  by  the  process  of  comparison,  and  gives  hints  and  practical 
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248  pages.  Illustrated.  Size,  5x6  3-4  ins.  Cloth.  Price, 
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Estimating 

By  EDWARD  NICHOLS 

Tells  how  to  go  about  making  an  estimate  intelligently.  As  a 
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140  pages.     14  full-page  plates.     Cloth.     Price,  $1.00. 


CONTRACTORS  AND  BUILDERS 
HANDBOOK 

By  WM.  ARTHUR 

matter  which  branch  of  building  operation  you  may 
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CONTENTS 

Relations  Between  the  Contractor  and  the  Architect;  Relations 
Between  the  Contractor  and  the  Owner  or  Real  Estate  Agent ; 
Relations  Between  the  Contractor  and  Dealers  and  Subcontractors ; 
Relations  Between  the  Contractor  and  his  Workmen ;  Reading 
Plans  and  Specifications ;  The  Preparation  of  Estimates ;  Building 
Contracts ;  Nature  of  Contracts ;  General  Contracting  or  Subletting ; 
Method  of  Work ;  Buying  of  Material ;  Best  Paying  Work ;  Specu- 
lative Building  or  Ready-made  Houses ;  Office  Equipment ;  Book- 
keeping;  About  Keeping  Costs;  Builders'  Law;  Insurance  and 
Bonds;  Hand  and  Machine  Labor;  Weights,  Measures,  and  Their 
Use;  Foundations;  The  Superstructure:  (i)  Walls  and  Masonry; 
(2)  Floor  Loads;  Loads  upon  Posts,  Columns.  Lintels,  Rods,  and 
Ropes ;  Concrete  Forms  and  Work ;  Construction  Notes  from  the 
San  Francisco  Fire;  A  Short  Chapter;  Fire  Loss  and  Safe  Building; 
Where  to  Locate;  The  Ideal  Education  for  a  General  Contractor; 
The  High  Schools,  Libraries,  and  Tradesmen;  A  Little  Library; 
Big  Contracts;  Miscellaneous. 

384  Pages,   4^  x  7^  inches,  Illustrated,  Flexible  Cloth,   Round 
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THE  1913  EDITION  OF 

THE  NEW 

BUILDING  ESTIMATOR 

By  WM.  ARTHUR 

IS  a  modern  working  guide  for  all  who  figure  the  cost  of 
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It  gives  the  actual  time,  labor  and  material  required  on 
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The  chapter  on  Reinforced  Concrete  work  gives  the  actual 
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Handy  Estimate  Blanks 

By  A.  W.-JOSLIN 

These  blanks  have  been  prepared  with  the  idea  of  furnishing 
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Contracts  and  Specifications 

By  J.  C.  PLANT 

A  practical  working  guide  for  the  contractor,  architect  and  owner. 
With  forms  and  an  explanation  of  duties  and  responsibilities  incident 
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130  pages.     Fully  illustrated.     Cloth.     Price,  $1.00. 

Hicks'    Specification   Blanks   for    Frame   or   Brick 

Buildings 

Covers  everything  in  the  building ;  carpenters'  work,  masonry, 
hardware,  plumbing,  heating,  painting,  tin  and  sheetmetal  work,  etc. 

18  pages;  size,  8  x  13  3-4  ins.  Single,  35  cents;  per  dozen, 
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Eureka  Building  Specifications 

Embraces  all  the  labor  and  materials  necessary  in  the  erection 
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Class  B — For  frame  Dwellings  of  Moderate  Cost,  with 
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Class  D — For  Brick  Dwellings,  with  Plumbing  and 
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How  to  Read  Plans 

A  simple,  practical  explanation  of  the  meaning  of  various  lines, 
marks,  symbols,  etc.,  used  on  working  drawings. 

104  pages ;  81  figures  and  a  complete  set  of  plans  for  a 
frame  cottage.  Price,  50  cents. 

Send  for  our  complete  catalogue  and  let  us  help 
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